The Daily Mail reports tonight that Roy Hodgson’s plan to replace Michael Appleton with Ray Lewington at West Brom has been thwarted by the Baggies’ lack of cash.
Sporting director Dan Ashworth has told Hodgson that there isn’t enough money in the club’s coaching budget to try and tempt Lewington to the Hawthorns. Appleton was appointed as the successor to Steve Cotterill at Portsmouth having spent seven years with the Baggies. Hodgson had previously worked with Lewington during his three years at Fulham and the report claims he had tried to lure Lewington away from Craven Cottage in the summer.
Whether Lewington, now restored to his former status as first-team coach after the departure of Mark Hughes, would leave Fulham remains to be seen. Mohamed Al-Fayed had promised Lewington a job for life to ward off interest from Alan Pardew shortly after he was appointed Newcastle boss.
