As always this will be my own point of view, so not everyone will agree with my thoughts.
When Callum McManaman first came to prominence in 2013 it wasn't for the right reasons, having put in a horrific challenge on Newcastle's Massadio Haidara. He became one of those figures booed at most stadia, but he was lauded by Wigan Athletic fans in the latter stages of what would be their relegation season. He scored the winner against us, ironically, that almost gave them a glimmer of hope for survival and I'll never forget those players, led by McManaman, in their red away kit celebrating in front of the Latics fans at the Smethwick End. It haunts me to this day.
And perhaps the former Evertonian youth's finest hour of his career came during Wigan's unlikely FA Cup Final triumph over Manchester City, where McManaman put in a Man of the Match display. After that, it was a little bit surprising that when Wigan were relegated to the Championship, he remained a Latic for around another 18 months.
When Tony Pulis took charge of Albion in January 2015, he hadn't really gotten his feet under the table before he was thrown into the deep end of the transfer window, where new blood was needed to improve a team struggling after a disappointing tenure under Alan Irvine. McManaman was a player linked throughout the month and Pulis himself said he wanted the tricky winger who had "enormous potential". He believed he could emulate players who he managed at previous clubs, such as "Jermaine Pennant and Matthew Etherington at Stoke" and "Yannick Bolasie and Jason Puncheon at Crystal Palace".
The most important quote from Pulis when McManaman signed for the Baggies was "I think the crowd like individual players who can take players on." To me, that is true. I recall his second game for the club coming at an incredibly foggy Turf Moor, a 12pm televised game on Sky, and he provided the assist for Chris Brunt's header before half time. He was a nuisance throughout on the wing. The two games that followed, Swansea and West Ham at home, McManaman coming on as a substitute in the latter, gave us more brief glimpses at the "enormous potential" talked about by our Head Coach. His chance late on against West Ham that just skimmed the left hand side of the post had the entire ground gasping!
Much of the remainder of the season was hampered by injury, which is has been a downfall in his progression. On his return in a 0-0 stalemate at home to Liverpool, he lit the Hawthorns alight by "taking players on". It may have been a brief spell from the bench once more, but I don't think a player has gotten me as excited running down the wing as Callum McManaman did that day.
A few games later he started THE game of the season at home vs the new Champions, Chelsea. A 3-0 drubbing in our favour, McManaman provided much of the creativity, even crossing the ball into Chris Brunt who slotted Saido Berahino through on goal to be taken out by John Terry for a nailed on penalty.
2015/16 season had begun and following a successful preseason (and if I remember rightly, a goal or two in that time) McManaman started the season off brightly, putting in another Man of the Match display against Chelsea in a game we lost 3-2, but we played very well second half mainly due to his trickery and creativity.
The turning point came against Southampton on 12th September. McManaman went down, apparently softly, under a Matt Targett challenge in the penalty area. Post-match, Tony Pulis tore into him, explaining there is no place for diving in football. Rightly so.
A couple of games around Christmas aside, he has rarely been seen since. Now, it is common knowledge that if a player upsets Pulis then he gets frozen out, but a player of such potential, and a player HE brought in, should arguably be nurtured into improving aspects of his game, such as stamping out diving and managing his erratic behaviour.
I, for one, think it's a real shame that a player like McManaman has been kicked to the curb when, even if he's not a 90 minute player, he has contributed to us winning games and exciting supporters. He may not be the answer, and I feel many fans may have forgotten how well he played for us back when he first joined, but if he shows passion we crave from a footballer and he does a job then why should he be frozen out? Especially when we're in need of bodies so badly!
It looks as though there's no way back for Callum McManaman, but what a shame to waste such "enormous potential".
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