How is ex-West Brom boss Valerien Ismael getting on at Besiktas?

Valerien Ismael was supposed to be the coach to take West Bromwich Albion back to the Premier League but instead, the Frenchman’s seven-month tenure is one that supporters will reflect on with frustration. 

There was a fair bit of excitement when he arrived at the club from Barnsley in the summer, having defied the odds by taking the Tykes to the play-offs last season.

But despite a strong start, things began to unravel in October and by the 2nd of February, the club decided to pull the plug.

Ismael was not out of a job for long, however, as on the 25th of March, it was announced that he’d been named the new head coach at Besiktas – with former Baggies coach Adam Murray joining as his assistant.

The Turkish club have endured a difficult season of their own and defending their 2020/21 Super Lig title was already out of the question by the time the 46-year-old made his first appearance in the dugout.

The international break meant he was forced to wait for his first game in charge and it was a tough one away against league leaders Trabzonspor.

Thanks to Valentin Rosier’s 71st-minute equaliser, Ismael’s side came away with a 1-1 draw and a week later he claimed the first win of his tenure.

The French coach’s introduction to the Vodafone Park Arena could barely have gone better as the hosts beat mid-table Alanyaspor 4-1 thanks to a Michy Batshuayi brace as well as goals from Souza and Güven Yalcin.

Four points from two games is a fantastic start for Ismael and with six games left of the season, Besiktas will now feel they’ve got a real chance of securing European qualification this season.

They’re currently three points back from the Europa Conference League spots and nine back from the Champions League spots.

The initial