From Agence France-Presse:
English Premier League club West Bromwich Albion on Monday announced they had sacked manager Alan Irvine following their defeat to Stoke on Sunday, their seventh in nine matches.
“Irvine leaves the club with immediate effect and has been placed on gardening leave,” said a statement on the club’s official website.
It explained that the decision had been taken with “regret but necessity” and that they expect to name Irvine’s replacement by the weekend.
The club lie 16th in the league, just one point above the bottom three.
Assistant head coach Rob Kelly will take charge of the team for their New Year’s Day game at West Ham.
Albion’s technical director Terry Burton said: “We appointed Alan in the summer convinced that we had taken on one of the foremost coaches in the UK and nothing that has happened since then has altered our view.
“The individual progress of our players such as Craig Dawson and Saido Berahino are testament to that.
“Securing a sixth season in the Premier League is the over-riding target and sometimes unpleasant decisions have to be taken to serve that imperative.
“Alan has impressed everyone with his manner, dedication and diligence but he knows that results have simply not been good enough,” he added.
Meanwhile Alan Pardew is set to quit Newcastle United and take over as the new manager of Crystal Palace after being granted permission to speak to his former club about the move on Monday.
The Eagles are looking for a new boss after sacking Neil Warnock on Saturday and Pardew is on the verge of a surprise return to Selhurst Park now Newcastle have given Palace the green light to discuss a contract.
It has been reported that Palace will pay a £2 million (2.55 million euros, $3.1 million) compensation fee to land Pardew, who still has five years left on his St James’ Park contract.
“Newcastle United can confirm that Crystal Palace have made a formal approach requesting permission to speak to Alan Pardew in relation to their vacant managerial position,” a statement on the club’s website announced.
“Crystal Palace have offered compensation at a level whereby Alan has now been permitted to speak to them.
“As a result of this development today (Monday), Alan will not be at training on Tuesday. Training will be the responsibility of assistant manager John Carver. The Club will make a further announcement in due course.”
Pardew made 128 appearances for Palace between 1988 and 1991 and scored the winning goal in his side’s famous 4-3 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-finals at Villa Park in 1990.
Despite a mounting campaign for his dismissal from a large section of Newcastle supporters, Pardew retained the faith of Magpies owner Mike Ashley.
But although the Magpies are a bigger club than Palace, Pardew has been frustrated by Newcastle’s transfer policy in recent seasons and continuous criticism from a large section of fans to get him out of the job.
Pardew is one of the lowest paid managers in the league and Palace are said to be willing to improve his salary.
And the 53-year-old stoked the speculation over his future by failing to attend the post-match press conference following his side’s 3-2 win over Everton on Sunday.
Palace chairman Steve Parish wants to act swiftly following the departure of Warnock to allow his new boss time to spend in the January transfer window.
The south Londoners are in the relegation zone after Sunday’s 0-0 draw at fellow strugglers QPR, with Keith Millen in charge of Palace in a caretaker capacity for the third time.
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