New West Bromwich Albion boss Valerien Ismael has vowed to bring a new footballing philosophy to The Hawthorns – and he’s ready to dip into the transfer market to make it happen. Ismael, 45, has signed a four-year contract with Albion after the club agreed to pay Barnsley £2million in compensation for his services. The Frenchman arrives on the back of an outstanding campaign at Barnsley, where he guided the unfancied Tykes into the Championship play-offs.
Valerian Ismael said: “It’s a big commitment from the club to want me to implement a philosophy I want for the next four years. My first task is to implement a new identity that the fans can enjoy and one where they can see the players are there for each other and give everything on the pitch to win games. We have a clear plan and vision of where we want to go. We’re going to need everyone, especially our fans, to support the team. It’s a new start for everyone, and it’s important that we take on this new challenge together, and we’ll continue to work hard to make the fans proud this year.”
Ismael’s challenge is to replicate the success he had at Barnsley against the backdrop of higher expectations and a vastly different playing squad. The former Wolfsburg and Nurnberg manager will join up with his new squad later this week with pre-season on the horizon and recruitment decisions to make.
Valerian Ismael added: “We have a good mix of young and experienced players in this squad, and for sure we will need some new faces in certain positions – but the only massive change here will be the way we play and the formation. We are very happy with the group here, and now it’s about working on the motivation and mentality of the boys. We have the quality, but the big difference in this division is the mentality you need. It’s up to me and my staff to create the right mentality for the players, and they need to quickly prepare for the Championship and be ready to compete.”
Ismael, who arrives two months after Sam Allardyce confirmed he would be stepping down at the end of last season, kicks off his Albion era with a trip to Bournemouth on the opening weekend of the season.
