Guochuan Lai makes plans for West Brom return as his influence grows

Owner Guochuan Lai will be back in England to watch another West Bromwich Albion match before the end of the season - it’ll be his second game in the space of a few months, after being previously absent for more than three years.

Lai has been offering his input to the board in recent weeks from his base in China, having spent Christmas in England when he oversaw the deal to bring Daryl Dike to the club.

The controlling shareholder was hoping to see a couple of games over the festive period, but the visit of Preston was put back because of Covid, though he did attend the 1-1 draw with Cardiff City.

There has been a frustration and anger towards Lai from sections of the Albion fanbase in recent years, for what has appeared to be an apparent lack of interest in the goings on at the club.

His own future plans for Albion were somewhat addressed last month when he made himself the chairman, as part of a radical board shake-up which involved appointing Ron Gourlay as the club’s new chief executive

“He is involved. We’ve had two board meetings in the last three weeks which he’s chaired,” Gourlay revealed. “The other board members were there and he was in China.

“He is coming over at the end of the month again because one of the things I did explain to him is that he needs to be visible. He did come over under Covid restrictions and it took him nearly three weeks to get home.

“He was in isolation for 18 days, but it is important that he’s coming back over because you need a visible owner and chairman.

“Is he leaving it all to me? No, and I don’t think that’s right either and it’s not what the club needs, but I am the chief executive and I have responsibility just like the other directors do as the custodians of the club.

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