---
title: "Exclusive: Palmer claims Chris Wilder didn’t want a sporting director at West Brom"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/exclusive-palmer-claims-chris-wilder-didnt-want-a-sporting-director-at-west-brom-david-wagner-e145/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Caleb Sage"
section: "Exclusive"
published: "2021-06-10T05:40:10Z"
modified: "2021-06-10T05:40:10Z"
---

# Exclusive: Palmer claims Chris Wilder didn’t want a sporting director at West Brom

**Former West Brom midfielder Carlton Palmer thinks Chris Wilder did not want to work under a sporting director at the Hawthorns, hence the breakdown in talks to take him there.**

Wilder was said to be the frontrunner to replace Sam Allardyce back in May, with the [Mirror](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/chris-wilder-set-succeed-sam-24200133) claiming that he was the Baggies’ No.1 choice.

However, West Brom have since [cooled their interest](https://www.footballinsider247.com/west-brom-call-off-wilder-plans/) and moved on, paving the way for ex-Huddersfield Town manager [David Wagner](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11698/12328099/david-wagner-west-brom-close-to-appointing-former-huddersfield-manager-as-new-boss) to come in.

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And Palmer has put that down to an unwillingness on Wilder’s part to work with sporting director Luke Dowling.

Speaking exclusively to **TT** about the situation, the ex-West Brom player said:

*“I don’t think Chris Wilder would work with a director of sport at West Brom, so that’s where the problem would come in. That’s why Chris Wilder ended up leaving Sheffield United.*

*“Maybe when they were talking and he was asking about his freedom to run the footballing side of it his way, I think that’s probably where the talks have broken down.”*

While some West Brom fans may be disappointed with this development given that Wilder is a manager who really proved himself at Sheffield United, Wagner is hardly a terrible alternative.

Like Wilder, the German also has a Premier League promotion on his CV, which obviously bodes well for a club who have just been relegated.