West Bromwich Albion are currently on a four-game winning run in the EFL Championship, and looking to make it five on the bounce when they play Rotherham this weekend. But rather than feeling good and optimistic, the English club’s supporters are worried about their beloved club’s future.Guochuan Lai has spent so little time in the UK doing anything productive with the club he decided to buy, that he literally has about four stock photos for every time someone writes about him. This being the main one. #WBA pic.twitter.com/jJpNuxMdXc— BoingBoingBaggies (@Boing__Baggies) November 24, 2020 Since getting relegated from the Premier League in 2021, the traditional club from central England has had a torrid time on the pitch and, more worryingly, off it. A wasted season under former Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Sunderland manager Steve Bruce left a scar on the club’s ambitions. And their Chinese owner Guochuan Lai, who assumed control of the Hawthorns club in 2016, is far from popular among those who love Albion. He attended just one match in the last four years and has borrowed money from the club to finance his other business ventures during the Covid-induced recession. As a result, the club now owes over $10 million, with the financial situation likely to worsen once the so-called parachute payments from the Premier League dry up.##NAJAVA_MECA_6893189##Supporters are voicing their anger and concern during every home match as the newly-appointed Spanish coach Carlos Corberan tries to steer the team away from the Championship’s relegation zone.A logical solution to the conundrum would be for Lai to repay the loan taken from the club and sell the club to an investor who would be more interested in bringing success to the loyal fanbase. However, the Chinese businessman doesn’t want to do either of the two: the club’s debt is rising due to the interest, and three takeover proposals were rebuffed, allegedly due to them being too low. Namely, Lai has paid around $220 million to buy the club while it was still in the Premier League – and he laughed off offers of around $115 million now that the club is struggling in the second tier. And while he’s making up his mind, the team itself desperately needs reinforcements that aren’t coming – at least not in the January transfer window.We were very keen to be back in competitive action and despite the challenges, the players showed their character and ambition. Proud of the effort from the whole group! #COYB pic.twitter.com/biU2KA0nsu— Carlos Corberán (@CarlosCorberan) December 13, 2022 While the team is winning, Corberan and his players will have peace and quiet to work. But the fans won’t rest until the club’s long-term future is secure.EFL CHAMPIONSHIPFriday23.00: (2.15) Birmingham (3.05) Reading (3.90)Saturday18.00: (1.85) Cardiff (3.45) Blackpool (4.50)18.00: (2.35) Preston (3.10) QPR (3.25)18.00: (2.20) Burnley (3.35) Middlesbrou. (3.35)18.00: (2.60) Hull (3.10) Sunderland (2.85)18.00: (3.60) Huddersfield (3.20) Watford (2.15)18.00: (1.50) WBA (4.10) Rotherham (7.00)18.00: (2.65) Bristol City (3.10) Stoke (2.80)18.00: (2.45) Coventry (3.20) Swansea (3.00)20.30: (1.85) Norwich (3.50) Blackburn (4.40)Sunday14.30: (2.50) Luton (3.05) Millwall (3.05)Monday23.00: (3.80) Wigan (3.35) Sheffield Utd (2.05)***odds are subject to change
