Wednesday 1 April 2015 18:09, UK
Former West Bromwich Albion head coach Alan Irvine admits he is “still sore” after being sacked in December.
In his first interview since his dismissal, Irvine told Sky Sports News HQ he was sorry to leave the Hawthorns but held no bitterness towards the players.
“I’m still really disappointed to have gone, I loved the job, I loved working with the players, I loved working with the staff and I was really, really enjoying doing the job," Irvine said.
“So I’m still sore about it, but I understand that that’s the way that football can operate. Obviously I hoped to be given the time to change things around and influence things but I also understand that nowadays people look for instant results.
Despite losing seven of nine games prior to his departure, Irvine said he did not see his sacking as inevitable and was still studying match footage hours before he was fired.
“I was very much expecting to go back in to work the next day and it came as a surprise. Not a total shock but as a surprise.
“One of the disappointing things was that I didn’t get the opportunity to go in and thank the players and thank the staff in person because it was felt, and understandably, that it might be better for me to go into the club and clear my office after everybody had gone and things were a bit quieter.
'Bitterness'
“I think some of the players feel that they let me down, which is something that a number of them have said to me, but they didn’t let me down. The players were great to work with, I certainly can’t blame the players, I don’t have any bitterness towards them.”
Irvine lasted seven months and 22 games at West Brom, winning just five games. Since Tony Pulis was appointed as his replacement on New Year’s Day, signing a two-and-a-half year contract, he was won seven of 14 games.
Before being appointed to the West Brom post, Irvine had been without a manager's job for three-and-a-half years. He was the third Albion boss in recent years to lose his job midway through the season: the same fate befell Roberto Di Matteo and, 12 months ago, Steve Clarke.
But when his gardening leave is up in December, the 56-year-old Scot plans to return to the game.
“I certainly hope that after that I can get back, ideally into management," he said. "But I’m fortunate that I’ve done a lot of different roles in football and I’ve really enjoyed all of them.
“I would be lying if I didn’t say what I’ve enjoyed most of all is being a manager but I could happily do different roles at the right club with the right people.”
