Since joining FC Bayern, Serge Gnabry has worked his way up to the top of the world in his position. At the beginning of 2016, that still seemed unthinkable.
“Serge came here to play more. But he’s just not good enough. He’s not at that level to play for West Brom.” Serge? Most football fans naturally immediately think of Serge Gnabry, who is a German national player and who recently won the triple with FC Bayern.
And it is precisely this Serge that Tony Pulis meant with his statement from the 2015/16 season. The Welshman was then a coach at the Premier League club from the West Midlands. Gnabry played on loan for the Albions and should take the next step in development after joining the youth academy at Arsenal FC at the age of 15.
But the loan did not go as planned. From the start of the season to matchday 23, Gnabry was on the pitch for a total of twelve minutes in the English House of Lords. Most of the time, there wasn’t even room for him in the squad, so he also made three appearances in the U23. As a result, the loan was canceled after the winter.
After Gnabry Galas in the Champions League: ridicule for Pulis
It is not surprising that Pulis’ statements flew around the ears years later – especially after Gnabry’s brilliant performance in the Champions League. But the now 62-year-old handled it with confidence.
“I’m amazed. We never got him fit. He was even substituted in an U23 game,” said Pulis at the end of last year Sky Sports after Gnabry had just shot down Tottenham Hotspur with a four-pack in Munich’s historic 7-2 win. “He was a good guy. Now he’s really reached his potential. That really surprised me as someone who worked with him at West Brom.”
Serge Gnabry on time at West Brom: “Helped me to become a Bayern player”
According to Gnabry, who switched to Werder Bremen a few months later and has since been able to fight his way to the top of the world, the catastrophic loan was completely in vain.
“Above all mentally,” his time at West Brom helped him, he explained in 2019 Daily Mail. “I said to myself: Even if I don’t have a chance to play, I can work hard. And I kept that mentality and it helped me become a Bayern player.”
Since leaving West Bromwich, he has been the U21 European champion with the DFB team, two German double winners and with Bayern not only won the Champions League but also the UEFA Supercup. He’s no longer at the “level to play for West Brom” – but sometimes you have to take a step back in order to be able to take two steps forward.
