Semi Ajayi faces uncertain future as WBA sack manager Slaven Bilic after just 13 games

SUPER Eagles centreback semi Ajayi faces an uncertain future over the coming weeks after his clubside West Bromwich Albion (WBA) sacked its manager Slaven Bilic and is expected to replace him with former Bolton boss Sam Allardyce.

After 13 games, WBA are second from bottom in the English Premier League table with just seven points. Although the team have shown promise of late, forcing Manchester City to a 1-1 draw away yesterday, the club decided to part ways with Croatian manager Bilic, who has been in charge of the Baggies for 18 months.

Assistant coaches Dean Racunica and Danilo Butorovic also depart, as does first-team coach Julian Dicks. A club statement thanked Mr Bilic, 52 and his coaching staff for their efforts in achieving promotion last season.

Mr Bilic signed a two-year contract when he took over at The Hawthorns in June 2019, replacing Darren Moore. He guided Albion to promotion on the final day of last season, as they finished second in the Championship but they have won only one Premier League match this season, beating bottom club Sheffield United 1-0 on 28 November.

Yesterday’s  match was the Croat’s 100th Premier League game as a manager. He is now expected to be replaced by Allardyce has been out of work since leaving Everton in the summer of 2018, while another contender Mark Hughes, left Southampton later the same year.

Under Bilic, Ajayi was a regular starter, playing in all but one of their league games last season and has been an ever-present during the current campaign. Yesterday, he was denied what would have been his first Premier League goal after his shot deflected off Ruben Dias and ended up in the Manchester net two minutes before half-time, leading to it being registered as an own goal.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he was very sad to hear of Bilic’s sacking. Solskjaer himself, like several other managers such as Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, Sean Dyche of Burnley, Scott Parker of Fulham and Chris Wilder of Sheffield United are all facing the risk of being sacked.