Sky Sports understands that Dean Smith and Lee Johnson are among those West Bromwich Albion wish to speak to regarding their vacant managerial positions. Smith, who manages Brentford, and Johnson, of Bristol City, along with Leicester City assistant Michael Appleton, are believed to be on the shortlist.
Darren Moore has been in caretaker charge of the Baggies, collecting eleven points from his six matches at the helm. Whilst this wasn’t enough to save them from relegation into the Championship, he did claim the May Premier League Manager of The Month Award. Nevertheless, the West Brom hierarchy look to want their own man in charge for their return to the second-tier.
Whilst Moore is believed to be a contender too, the club are wary of throwing him into his first managerial role in a tough division following relegation. Smith, who has been at Brentford since November 2015, guided the Bees to a top-half finish, playing an attractive brand of football. However, Sky Sports believe the club are planning for him to be at the club next season.
Johnson, aged just 36, has already held three managerial roles in his short coaching career. After making an impression at Oldham Athletic, Barnsley would come calling, where he enhanced his reputation as a young, up-and-coming coach in the English game. In February 2016, he was named head coach at Ashton Gate, a club he also represented during his playing days. Whilst they missed out on the play-offs this season, they did enjoy an excellent run in the EFL Cup, which included a memorable victory over Manchester United, and ran eventual winners Manchester City very close over two legs in the semi-final.
