Any proper list of candidates for the Manager of the Year award should have Carlos Corberan’s name near the very top.
For most of the Spaniard’s time in charge of West Bromwich Albion the club’s existence has been in jeopardy, as Guochuan Lai struggled to sell up and bring an end to his disastrous eight-year tenure as owner.
American businessman Shilen Patel finally answered the prayers of fans when he took control at the Hawthorns in February.
But without Corberan’s shrewd guidance on the field, Albion would not have been such an attractive proposition to potential buyers.