I'm gutted for Bryan Robson, who parted company with West Brom on Monday. I'm not saying it was the wrong decision for him to leave the club, but it is a shame.
But the squad of players we had - I think it's the second highest paid squad in the division - did raise the bar in terms of what he had to achieve.
 | The players and staff love Bryan, but he just didn't get the results |
Expectations were higher than for most clubs and he was never going to get much slack with one of the best squads in the division. Overall in nearly two years with the Baggies his record just wasn't good enough - they just haven't won enough matches in that time.
On the other hand he's transformed things behind the scenes as I understand it.
I seem to remember David Pleat once being lambasted when he left Luton Town for saying they didn't get the equation right in terms of results, but I kind of know what he meant now.
The players and staff love Bryan and he took a real interest in the youth development side of the club. But he just didn't get the results.
The fans have never given him much slack, even though he was a former player at West Brom. Somewhat absurdly, many fans still haven't forgiven him for leaving us for Man Utd more than 20 years ago. So I suppose that might be part of it.
Plus, he took over on the back of the reign of Gary Megson, who was pretty much idolised, so that was always going to be a hard act to follow.
And also, while the players might not like it and it might not always work, fans like to see someone jumping about in the technical area "showing a bit of passion" quote-unquote, and that just isn't Bryan's style.
Alan Curbishley is already the name on everybody's lips as a replacement for Bryan, and is the early favourite, but he'd have to really want it or it will never work.
He couldn't just want it as a secondary job because he would have preferred a Premiership club.
Really it just needs someone to come in and make the best of what's already there - because on paper that squad should run out and beat teams.
Unfortunately however, no-one else springs to mind for me but, as Championship jobs go, I think we're as attractive a proposition as any.
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