Monday 16 June 2014 13:39, UK
Tim Sherwood says he turned down the opportunity to inherit the managerial reins at West Bromwich Albion as there were 'a couple of ingredients missing'.
The former Tottenham boss claims to have been the No.1 candidate for a post that has since been handed to former Sheffield Wednesday manager Alan Irvine.
Sherwood admits he is keen to get back into Premier League coaching as soon as possible, having cut his teeth at Spurs last season.
That experience, after he was asked to succeed Andre Villas-Boas, lasted just six months, but positive results and the manner in which he conducted himself during a difficult time have helped to raise his profile.
West Brom were eager to charge Sherwood with the task of bringing stability back to The Hawthorns, having had Steve Clarke, Keith Downing and Pepe Mel at the helm in 2013/14, but they have been unable to convince a man who landed the Premier League title during his playing days at Blackburn Rovers that theirs was the right challenge for him.
I was offered the job before we started to negotiate. It just wasn’t right for me in the end, so I decided to give it a miss.
Sherwood told talkSPORT: “I went to speak to the chairman and the board there a couple of times and was happy with how the discussions were going. I was offered the job before we started to negotiate. It just wasn’t right for me in the end, so I decided to give it a miss.
“It is a fantastic club and it looked on the outside like it might be a perfect fit for me, but unfortunately we couldn’t agree for me to move forward.
“I wish them all the best and Alan in particular, someone I played with a long time ago at Blackburn.
“Discussions were going very, very well. As I said, I went up and spoke to them a couple of times. I was pleased with most things we were talking about and it was a good opportunity for me to get back in very, very quickly. But, in the end, I decided when we prolonged the discussions that it wasn’t right for me.”
Sherwood has suggested that part of the problem was the expectancy that he would keep coaches Downing and Dean Kiely as part of his backroom team.
He added: “I don’t know Keith or Dean very well and I’ve got nothing against them. I think it is important you take your own men in and I was looking to bring in a couple of guys who I trust and who I know.
“When you go into a club you haven’t got time to try and train someone to your own thinking.
“There were just a couple of ingredients missing which made me decide I wouldn’t take the gamble on it.”
Sherwood is, however, confident that he will be back in the dugout before too long.
He said: “I am confident in my ability to be able to do the job. I know my worth and I just want to wait for the right opportunity.
“I am sure it will come along.”
