West Brom must have ex-Rangers manager and League One boss on their radar if relegated | OneFootball

West Brom could be looking for their next permanent manager as a League One club as they battle to stay in the Championship.

West Brom are in a worrying position as they face the prospect of dropping to the third tier of English football for the first time in over 30 years.

Of course, there are plenty of games to be played, and nobody at The Hawthorns will have given up as they look to get points on the board to finish above the bottom three.

However, it has been a turbulent campaign, and the hierarchy at Albion must be planning for both scenarios as they face up to what is a crucial summer for the club, irrespective of what league they’re in.

The managerial decisions since Shilen Patel bought the club have been very poor, and the fact Albion are relying on former player James Morrison, who has no prior experience as a head coach, to keep them up perfectly illustrates that.

With the club confirming Morrison will remain in charge for the run-in, attention can turn to finding a long-term solution ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Obviously, if the Baggies drop to League One, it will impact the sort of name they can attract, and here we look at TWO names that must be on their radar if they are relegated…

Russell Martin

This will no doubt seem ambitious, and Martin would need plenty of convincing to drop to the third tier, as you would expect him to have suitors in the Championship.

But, Albion would be a very big club by League One standards, and if Martin can be shown a positive, long-term project, it could be the ideal club for him to restore his reputation after a terrible time at Rangers.

One significant factor that could work in Albion’s favour is the appointment of Matt Gill to assist Morrison for the final months of this season.

He worked with Martin at MK Dons, before becoming his right-hand man at Swansea, Southampton and Rangers, so the two have a very close relationship, and Gill may be able to offer valuable insight into what Albion need to move forward.

In terms of what Martin brings, his possession approach would go down well at West Brom, and League One could be the ideal platform for him to take risks, give academy players a chance, and get a buy-in from all connected to the club that he may not be afforded in the Championship.

Again, this may seem bold, and Martin is a head coach that divides opinion, but it could be the perfect fit as he looks to rebuild his career, and with Gill already in place, he would be ready to shake things up immediately if he did arrive in the summer.

Michael Skubala

This is another appointment that would be ambitious, but there will be pressure on Patel to deliver, and he would need someone who can take Albion back up at the first attempt.

So, what better option than Skubala, who has worked wonders with Lincoln City, with the Imps on course to reach the Championship.

Naturally, some will say he wouldn’t return to League One if they were promoted, and there’s no denying this wouldn’t be straightforward if West Brom did target Skubala.

But, Albion are a bigger club, they have more potential and bigger resources, so it would be down to Patel to convince Skubala that he would be better off in the long-term at The Hawthorns.

If West Brom do start next season in League One, a major overhaul would be required, and Skubala would bring fresh, exciting ideas combined with a track record of success at this level, so it would make a lot of sense.