OPINION
Rekeem Harprer’s future at West Brom has been shrouded in uncertainty lately, and the last thing that he needs right now is further uncertainty about who is going to be his manager for the rest of the season.
It has been almost two weeks since Darren Moore was sacked and the latest indication is that caretaker boss James Shan will remain in charge for the rest of the campaign due to Albion not being prepared to bring anyone in.
The Express & Star has reported that Shan will be in charge for the game against Birmingham after the international break ends, which means that the Baggies will have gone three weeks without appointing a replacement for Moore.
It is understood that West Brom could bring in a more experienced coach to help Shan out for the rest of the season – Michael Appleton, Craig Shakespeare and Steven Reid are being considered – but even then, that is still a short-term and underwhelming solution.
Understandably, West Brom fans are not happy with these developments, and you can only imagine the frustration that some of the players might be feeling now – especially Harper.
The 19-year-old has been one of the stars of the season for the Black Country club.
He made his full debut for the Baggies earlier this term and has all together made 17 appearances, impressing to the point where he has become a regular in the first team.
However Harper’s contract expires at the end of the season, and the Express & Star has reported that Tottenham are interested in signing him.
West Brom’s board are said to have held talks with the 6ft 2 (West Brom’s official website) midfielder, but nothing seems to have developed recently, and it looks even more unlikely to do so amid the uncertainty about the manager’s job.
If the Baggies cannot commit to who their new manager will be, then why will Harper commit to a new deal when Spurs are sniffing around him?
At this point, you cannot blame Harper if he wants to leave.
West Brom are in a mess at the top and any talks over a new deal with Harper have likely stalled.
It is a concerning time for all those supporters who rate the dazzling young midfielder.