PEACE IN OUR TIME - NOT AT THE HAWTHORNS

19-09-2006

West Bromwich Albion chairman Jeremy peace took the brave decision to sack Bryan Robson yesterday - but he then optedfor the cowards way out by refusing to explain his decision to the press.

Although there's been plenty of surprise among the nationalmedia in the wake of Robson's departure, many Baggies fans were clamouring for him to leave well before Albion's relegation in May.

So many gutless performances, so many negative displays, so few points on the board.

The question most supporters lips hasn't been “why has the decision been taken so early” but “why has it taken so long?”

Peace, the man who wielded the axe and who draws a handsome salary at the Hawthorns as chief executive, sadly wasn't around to tell us.

He allowed Robson's assistant and temporary stand-in Nigel Pearson to take a scheduled press conference, and satisfied himself with a 70-word statement on the club's official website.

Here are a few questions The Stirrer would like answered:

Who sold Geoff Horsfield in the transfer window last January - Peace or Robson?

Who decided to let Robbie Earnshaw leave at the same time, when no replacement was lined up, leaving Albion disastrously short of fire-power?

Who gave Jason Koumas a new three-year contract?

And if Robson was only going to be given until mid-September to prove himself, why not justsack him last May when the team was relegated from the Premier League?

Fans deserve better than bland releases, and while Peace may well have endeared himself to them with this prompt, even ruthless action, long-term supporters have yet to be convinced that he is the right man to run the club.