West Brom manager Gary Megson has admitted he fears for his future if the club fail to make a good start in their bid next season to regain their Premiership status. Megson is aware that he faces the biggest six months of his career after the Baggies' return to Division One was confirmed yesterday with Bolton's victory.
But he is determined to to demand the financial backing needed to make a realistic bid for promotion back to the Premiership instead of settling for a mending and make do approach.
"I am very much aware that this is a big six months in my career - not West Brom's, not the players', but my own. I hear some of the things that are going on here, I know what is happening in and around West Brom. Consequently, all my energies are going to be channelled into a battle of me proving that I can do this job properly. I don't see why I should have to do that. In the three years I have been here, the club has gone from second bottom of Division One to the play-offs and then being promoted."
"But I know what the remit will be for next season - and I know what the consequences are by looking at other football clubs. If West Brom are struggling in September, then there's going to have to be a scapegoat. It's usually the manager and I am aware I'm going to have to battle against that."
"When Ipswich didn't set off too well this season, then it was the manager who went. It was the same at Derby with Colin Todd and the managership of Leicester (Micky Adams for Dave Bassett) changed very quickly. Consequently I am going to get as many good players into this club as I can, the best team that I can. I know what the remit will be (promotion) and I am hopeful the resources I am given will match that remit," he added.
"There is going to be no more pussy-footing about. I know the squad I want, the people I want to bring in - and I'll have them in. I hear murmurings. I know there are people trying to cause me problems that shouldn't be doing that. That's for me to deal with. There are things going on that I don't want to expand on at the moment that are making my life at West Brom a lot harder than it should have been for the last 12 months. It has got to stop," he insisted.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
