December 2008 Archives

SO what do you do?

Go for the tried and tested Paul Robinson, knowing that what he doesn't give you in terms of raw technical ability, he gives back in tub-thumping passion and industrial-strength commitment.

Or how about Marek Cech? Still a relative rookie to English football, never a defensive bone-cruncher, but, as a result, perhaps less prone to conceding possession or free-kicks while also offering more attacking options (as seen by his contribution towards Albion's two goals). The young Slovakian is a bright, friendly bloke, who is clearly every bit as passionate as Robbo, even though it may not come across as evidently on the field.

And it was interesting to hear Mowbray's take on Cech yesterday.

It hasn't been a great time for him recently. Minor disciplinary issues have crept in - which you can read more about today on birminghammail.net - and although Mowbray wouldn't elaborate, you get the feeling Cech still has some making up to do. Mowbray clearly rates him as a player and a person. But, equally, it's clear that Cech is an ambitious man. He won't tolerate being sat on the bench for another six months.

And what of Robinson? He's been a tremendous player for Albion over the last five years and is a strong character of which there is no other of his kind in the Baggies line up. His strengths are obvious and there are games where players of his mental resolve are needed. Can you afford a player of his character being sat on the bench or sidelined? What would the reaction be and how would it affect the dynamics of the dressing room?

It's a tough choice for Mowbray. There are merits to both. Perhaps he can find a way of accomodating both players, maybe with Cech further forward? But who misses out if he does that?

It's a tough call.

I'm just glad it's not me who has to make the decision...

While, we're at it, let's talk about James Morrison. Albion have, this lunchtime, received a bid of around £3million. And it's been rejected.

Tony Mowbray mentioned yesterday that he has no intention of selling anyone who he wishes to keep. It's a change in his stance - because previously he said that he would need to sell in order to buy. However, consider this, he has invested so much time in pursuing loan deals that permanent transfers have not been talked about, or targetted. Albion have not primed themselves to bring in any permanent deals for cash. And the last thing anyone would want to do is repeat the mistakes of 2006 when Earnshaw was allowed to leave without a replacement coming in.

Given that Mozza has been Albion's best player this season then I'd be amazed if Mowbray opts out of his policy, least of all to a club who are likely to be accompanying them down in the bowels of the Premier League. Can you see Albion helping out Bolton by handing them their best player? Or, let's put it another way, can you see Jeremy Peace wishing to help Gary Megson? No, me neither.

Happy New Year

30 years ago.

No more needs to be said really...

Old Trafford, December 30 1978

I'm sat here in the Albion press room having just conducted the most bizarre interview of my career.

Craig Beattie pulled his car off the road and onto the pavement outside the Halfords Lane and duly obliged with four minutes of his time. Car clampers, luckily, were on a day off.

Good on him. Looking leaner, meaner, Beats is just one of several reasons why Albion have cause for optimism.

He talks about a sense of confidence and belief around the club.

Rewind to Boxing Day. I was hearing that Tony Mowbray had got it wrong for making two changes, resting Moore and Bednar, while bringing in Beattie into a 4-5-1. A 'surrender' was how one radio station described it. But then is there any disgrace about being beaten by a better team? Not necessarily.

Yet the verdict on that decision was always going to be delivered today against Tottenham. And, let's face it, the decision to gamble the Chelsea game - is making two changes really a 'gamble' given that Bednar was ill anyway? - paid off today.

It was six changes today if you count the decision to drop Brunt and then bring him back into the side after Koren was taken ill before the game.

It worked. Harry Redknapp wasn't happy. He slaughtered referee Steve Tanner after the game - is it me or does Redknapp never seem to get into trouble with the FA for bad mouthing officials or talking publicly when pursuing other club's players?

Back to Albion, there is certainly cause for optimism right now.

Cech looked a class act at left-back and reads the game well. He may not be as robust or physical as Robinson - but perhaps he doesn't need to be to maximise his abilities.

Bednar is scoring, Beattie looks sharp and Moore looks dangerous. Jay Simpson, sat in the West Stand, has a fight to break into the side.

Barnett was outstanding alongside Olsson, who is proving a snip at £800,000. Graham Dorrans is promising.

And, let's be honest, Albion are picking up points when many had written them off. There are clubs who could potentially be worse off than Albion come May.

Portsmouth and West Ham are preparing to sell players. Stoke are losing goals and, subsequently, points, through late goals, while there is only so much of the Phil Brown nonsense that Hull City's players will take. Whip a horse for so long and eventually it stops jumping the fences. Talk about believing your own hype Phil...

Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Sunderland all have potential to slip down into the mix. Eslewhere, Blackburn's problems are far from over.

There's a long way to go. Albion will inevitably suffer further set-backs at some stages this season. But the first half of 2009 may generate fresh hope, rather than descend into despair.

So Jay Simpson has told everyone he's joining Albion.

Arsenal weren't too impressed to hear it announced on national radio this tea-time - but the signing, which Albion hope to officially announce next week, is good news.

It'll be for a season and Albion may try and seek a more long-term, permanent arrangement, although the player may not be too keen to cut all ties at Arsenal.

I don't know much about Simpson but Albion have been looking at him for a while, since Carlos Vela was fast-tracked into Arsenal's first-team and, as a result, out of Albion's range. I recently spoke to an ex-player, now an agent, not so long back who watched him against Wigan in the League Cup and saw a fair bit of him at junior level, as well as at Millwall. He is convinced Simpson can be the real deal.

He can play up centrally or on the wing and, we're told, has immense pace and wil give Albion some much needed energy.

Sound familiar? Okay, so he's not a midfielder like Kieran Richardson but if he can give Albion that injection of raw pace and impetus then he'll be a useful addition.

Elsewhere, Albion still have one more domestic loan to use up. Overseas, Robert Lewandowski is looking more off than on, likewise Oscar Trejo. Neither Lech Poznan or Mallorca seem too keen to do business at the moment.

Jay Simpson's arrival in early January is exactly what Albion need. Like Tony Mowbray said, it was up to Luke Moore, Roman Bednar and Craig Beattie to keep any new strikers out.

It can only be good for competition.

One final thing....

Merry Christmas to all of you.

That was better wasn't it?

There was something about yesterday which evoked memories of the Great Escape. Whether it was the 'Horse' turning up (cue inevitable Big Screen showing of that game) or the atmosphere of the home supporters - or even the nature of the victory - it's clear that Albion have the spirit to turn this around. Do they have the ability or good fortune? As Tony Mowbray would say, 'Let's wait and see eh?'

One win doesn't transform a season.

However it gives Tony Mowbray some food for thought. For starters, it proves that Roman Bednar's brawn and power can cut it against certain defenders. Luke Moore has the pace and the understanding of the game to cause problems. Martin O'Neill used to call him the best finisher at Villa - make that Albion now.

And, at the back, Jonas Olsson and Abdoulaye Meite continue to impress me. The full-backs had a better day and we'll see what Marek Cech is made of against Spurs.

Then, of course, the window opens...

Elsewhere, I was amused to see the Manchester City media office stoop to new levels of paranoia at The Hawthorns yesterday. Press officers are sensitive souls at the best of times, but one national journalist was amused to receive a text from the City employee within minutes of asking Mark Hughes whether he feared for his future. Hughes, for the record, replied that he didn't and had spoken to the club's Arab owners after the game.

The text, which the City employee asked this particular journalist to pass around the press room, stated that it was standard procedure for Hughes to speak to the Arab owners after matches and that he wouldn't be sacked any time soon.

How's that for a vote of confidence.

Even more amusing was the story about Andy Johnson's transfer from Forest to the Hawthorns, back in 2002, which was re-told in yesterday's Albion programme.

You may recall that Paul Hart, Forest boss at the time, was unwilling to let Johnson leave, despite not playing him.

So Johnson, after weeks of hassling Hart to no avail, took matters into his own hands.

Johnno clambered onto the manager's desk and...well, without going into detail, let's just say that Hart's office floor needed a good scrub afterwards.

That's one way of getting a move.

Hart was no doubt 'relieved' to see the back of him after that little episode.

Tony Mowbray spoke about making changes for this Sunday.

Could that mean Marek Cech coming up against Shaun Wright-Phillips, Carl Hoefkens for Gianni Zuiverloon or maybe even Leon Barnett for one of the two centre-halves?

In midfield - Filipe Teixeira in perhaps? And what about up front? Will he stick with Luke Moore on his own, bring Roman Bednar in as a partner or possibly call upon Craig Beattie?

Is a change in personnel enough? Does the style of play need changing? Does the formation need tinkering with? Is this collection of players suited to any other sort of football?

One thing's for sure, something has to change.

It was a desperate draw at Manchester City which kick-started Albion's Great Escape four years ago when they drew 1-1 without a shot on goal. The return game, less than a month later, was also Albion's first victory under Bryan Robson.

Some of that kind of form would be appreciated.

Thoughts.

1. Luke Moore. Looked interested, alert, reads the game well and made some decent runs. He faded but perhaps worth another go? I'd say so. Credit to Beattie and Bednar too. Not many emerged with credit. They did - if only for effort.

2. What on earth were the defence doing today?

3. Tony Mowbray's comments were diplomatic. I've seen managers blow their top for less and well done to Mowbray for keeping his thoughts 'in house'. But Tony, come on now, do you really believe your following statement: "If we win the next game, the game after that and the one after that we'll be mid-table"? Apart from mathematically being unlikely, can you see this Albion side defeating Man City, Chelsea and Spurs?

4. Forget Sunderland's League position just for a moment. It's fairly clear that the Keane effect was one of football's biggest myths. Any side with Kenwyne Jones and Cisse in their forward line should be higher than 18th.

5. I've said it before, Mowbray's said it before, there will be no money for new players. Loans it is. The hard part now is finding them. How do Albion cope with Premier League football when Sunderland, the 18th best team at the start of play, spend £60million and don't compete? The answer can be found on Humberside. Whatever Hull have done is working. Albion, meanwhile, have no money to spend on players...

6. Fair play to the Albion fans who sat that out until the end. Or, for that matter, until half time. Just over a week before Christmas, during a Credit Crunch, and seeing your team lose 4-0. If the club had anything about them then they'd offer you a refund. Don't go holding anything, let alone your breath.

7. Jeremy Peace and directors were planning to charter a plane, at no small cost, for today's game. Wouldn't have fancied that in this weather would you? Still, at least they got back early - probably around the same time as those who left after the third goal.

Pick a striker, any striker. Is he playing for his club? No. Check. Is he available? Maybe.

So far so good.

Need a club? Link him with Albion.

Vela, Simpson, Manucho, Nugent, Harewood, Derbyshire, Sturridge, Lee Hughes (!!) and a succession of foreign names.

Another day, more speculation. Most of it no more than that. Names plucked out of thin air during what is still a quiet time of year before the mayhem starts. Sometimes it's because a scout has been spotted at a game (eg, midfielder Brian Stock - linked with Albion because Baggies officials wanted to see how his Doncaster team-mate Shelton Martis was getting on and someone, somewhere jumped to the wrong conclusions) or because he's an obvious name to link to the club.

Tony Mowbray fielded more questions about January's transfer window at today's press conference. Names weren't mentioned - no point, he won't say anything publicly. But, as you'll read in Friday's Birmingham Mail, the policy remains the same. Loans and more loans.

Naturally, the Albion boss keeps his cards close to his chest regarding names. What I do know is that his No1 target isn't based on these shores. Nor is it the obvious foreign striker, Oscar Trejo.

It's someone else.

Mowbray wants the 'Zaki' effect. Get a player in, hope he keeps Albion up and the parent club watch the player's value soar. A little bit mercenary? Perhaps. But, in the short term, everyone's a winner.

The Albion boss, nevertheless, gave interesting thoughts on his current forwards Luke Moore and Craig Beattie. Trialist Mindaugas Kalonas, who was at Bohemians, won't be pursued either.

Elsewhere, Bob Taylor was down the training ground today loitering with intent just like he used to in opposition penalty areas. How Albion could do with a centre forward like him right now...

Speaking of old players, check out www.oldbaggies.com when you get a chance. Wanted to know what you former hero is doing? Wonder no more.

Put together by Brendon Batson's daughter Zoe, it features a new former player interview every Tuesday. So far they've had Cyrille, Asa Hartford and Ray Wilson.

Wednesdays brings you a Club and Country feature, with a Q and A starting next Thursday and every Thursday thereafter.

There's also a re-run of one of past seasons - they're running the 1967/8 season at the moment, going out every Friday. Can't think why they chose that year.

After games, there's a post-match piece from one of the many former Albion heroes.

That address again? www.oldbaggies.com

Okay, now I've got your attention I'm taking this chance for a spot of gratuitous plugging.

The Birmingham Mail is offering the 'Ultimate Baggies Christmas Gift'.

No, not a first-team call-up - although if you're a striker it may be worth bringing your boots.

The Birmingham Mail is actually offering a VIP experience for Albion's game against Manchester City, a week on Sunday, which includes watching the match from an executive box as everyone else shivers in the cold.

The winner will also get a signed Albion jersey and the chance to go into the tunnel as the players emerge for the kick-off.

For more information check out Saturday's Birmingham Mail.

THERE she was, proudly wearing her team's colours, surrounded by half of Albion's first team, having her picture taken.

Except this was an unusual photo request. She was a youngster called Peggy and wearing a Wolves shirt. And in Sandwell Hospital's children's ward awaiting to go into theatre.

The pre-op procedure was delayed so she could the signatures of every Albion player.

James Morrison, Pele, Joss Labadie, Filipe Teixeira, Pele, Scott Carson, Jonas Olsson and captain Jonathan Greening all duly obliged. Plus Baggie Bird, of course and a secret Santa (whose identity remains a mystery)

These are the occasions, within the four walls of a hospital, where even cross-club rivalries are forgotten and irrelevant.

Never mind relegation issues, share restructuring and the lack of points or goals. These annual events always stir up a feeling of perspective.

The kids enjoyed their gifts, there was a chance for plenty of photos and an opportunity to get away from the reality of their respective admissions to the children's ward. Although Jonathan Greening must surely be taken to task after being overheard admitting that the Snowman was his favourite film as a child. Surely not Jono?

Tony Mowbray wouldn't mind a gift or two himself come January.

You'll already know today's news about Ishmael Miller and it got me thinking.

Consider this - Adam Oliver, Larus Sigurdsson, Brian Jensen, Derek McInnes, Phil Gilchrist, Thomas Gaardsoe, Michael Appleton, Darren Moore, Neil Clement, Filipe Teixeira, Kevin Phillips and now Miller (and, to be honest, I might have missed a few)

What is it about Albion players and serious knee injuries during this decade?