West Brom boss Sam Allardyce plays down Hal Robson-Kanu being sent home by Wales

Hal Robson-Kanu file photo
(Image credit: David Davies)

West Brom boss Sam Allardyce described Hal Robson-Kanu’s indiscretion as “minimal” after he was sent home from Wales duty for breaching protocol.

The striker was dismissed from the camp on Monday along with Stoke’s Rabbi Matondo and Tyler Roberts of Leeds, and Allardyce revealed Robson-Kanu’s misjudgement was related to coronavirus restrictions.

The Baggies boss said: “It’s one of those things where you just slightly break what you should be doing by meeting somebody you shouldn’t and they decided it was enough to send him back.

“He’s been tested and he’s obviously got a negative test and he was back in training today. We can all make an error. It depends on the size of the error. I think on listening to what he said it was minimal to say the least.”

Robson-Kanu could be in the squad for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Chelsea but young midfielder Conor Gallagher will be missing under the terms of his loan agreement from the London club.

The 21-year-old has impressed, starting 22 league games this season, leading to speculation he could force his way into the first-team picture at Stamford Bridge next term.

But Allardyce believes Gallagher would benefit most from another spell at The Hawthorns, saying: “If we stay in the Premier League, I’d hope he’d be here next season not at Chelsea.

“I think he’d be better off having another season with us rather than the competition and size of Chelsea’s squad. I think his learning and development level has been improved.

“I’ve seen a good player since I’ve been here. I heard about how good he was before I came and think every day and every game he plays in the Premier League he gains more and more experience.

“When you lose more than you win, which he’s experiencing for the first time, it makes you tougher, it makes you more determined. And at such a young age to get these disappointments week in and week out could only stand him in good stead about improving his career.”

Speculation about Allardyce’s position continues, with the Baggies 10 points adrift of safety with only nine games remaining ahead of Saturday’s trip to Chelsea.

Allardyce signed an 18-month deal when he replaced Slaven Bilic in December but he insisted the international break had not been an opportunity for thinking about next season.

“No not me personally because it’s about us trying to stay in the Premier League and trying to pull off what’s been done before,” said Allardyce, who was bullish about his team’s improvement.

“Many managers have managed to do it, I’ve managed to do it at other clubs. Recently it was probably Sunderland and Crystal Palace, where I’ve won six out of eight, or five out of six, so it can be done if the players want to have a real go.

“We must start taking chances, because our chance ratio and our creation ratio is massively improved. Our final-third entries have gone up massively in the last 10 games or so.

“People have said outside, ‘Oh they don’t create enough chances’. The answer to that is they are absolutely totally and utterly wrong. Yes we do but we don’t hit the target and we don’t score.”

Read more
Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates with teammates after Bart Verbruggen of Brighton & Hove Albion (not pictured) scores a own goal during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea at Amex Stadium on February 08, 2025 in Brighton, England.
Chelsea and Enzo Maresca have three major problems they must solve after crashing out of the FA Cup with alarm bells now ringing
Cole Palmer
Don’t panic! Cole Palmer’s blip is nothing for Chelsea and England to worry about
West Ham United's English head coach Graham Potter reacts during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Brentford at the London Stadium, in London on February 15, 2025.
Graham Potter can save West Ham but they must first pay the price of a chaotic summer
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta now just has one more shot at silverware this season
‘Mikel Arteta could have handled the media differently recently – bad PR can take up so much of your time as a manager, but your brains are scrambled’ Ex-Premier League boss explains why Arsenal boss got it wrong
Jarrod Bowen in action for West Ham United in a pre-season friendly, August 2024
Is Jarrod Bowen injured this weekend? Premier League injury update on West Ham forward
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 09: Ange Postecoglou manager / head coach of Tottenham Hotspur after the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park on February 09, 2025 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
'Ange Postecoglou will not change. He's got to where he is playing this style of football, whether its in Australia, Japan, to Scotland at Celtic and now at Spurs, so why would he change it?' Tottenham manager backed by Australia and Premier League legend
Latest in
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is expected to sanction plenty of sales this summer
When does the summer transfer window open?
Arne Slot and Mikel Arteta could both do with improving their respective attacks this summer
Arsenal to make bold move for Liverpool star with uncertain Anfield future: report
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 21: Phil Foden of England reacts during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifier between England and Albania at Wembley Stadium on March 21, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
'When I see Phil Foden play, he just seems like a shy lad - that holds him back a little bit. He has been tried in every position, but he just hasn’t performed': Ex-England star makes bold claim about Manchester City man
Arsenal's William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes embrace each other in celebration at full-time of the Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on 25 January, 2025
Arsenal face losing Gabriel AND William Saliba, as new fears arise: report
Kevin De Bruyne of Man City in action during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Ipswich Town FC at Etihad Stadium on August 24, 2024 in Manchester, England.
Kevin De Bruyne touted for shock move to South American giants: report
LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - MAY 18: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of AS Roma, celebrates after the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and AS Roma at BayArena on May 18, 2023 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho planning Premier League raid for superstar: report
Latest in News
Arne Slot and Mikel Arteta could both do with improving their respective attacks this summer
Arsenal to make bold move for Liverpool star with uncertain Anfield future: report
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 21: Phil Foden of England reacts during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifier between England and Albania at Wembley Stadium on March 21, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
'When I see Phil Foden play, he just seems like a shy lad - that holds him back a little bit. He has been tried in every position, but he just hasn’t performed': Ex-England star makes bold claim about Manchester City man
Arsenal's William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes embrace each other in celebration at full-time of the Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on 25 January, 2025
Arsenal face losing Gabriel AND William Saliba, as new fears arise: report
Kevin De Bruyne of Man City in action during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Ipswich Town FC at Etihad Stadium on August 24, 2024 in Manchester, England.
Kevin De Bruyne touted for shock move to South American giants: report
LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - MAY 18: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of AS Roma, celebrates after the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and AS Roma at BayArena on May 18, 2023 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho planning Premier League raid for superstar: report
Jack Grealish
Manchester City report: Jack Grealish poised for European switch, with price revealed