July 2009 Archives

DOBRODOSLI iz Slovenije. Or 'welcome from Slovenia' if you prefer.

The Birmingham Mail rolled into the Grand Hotel Primus this afternoon but it was more like a scene from Moscow, with the four-star hotel over-run with swimmers.

It seems the luxury hotel is not only being used by Albion but the Russian Swimming team, with the Azerbaijan football side only checking out a few days ago.

They all look so stern and intense. Surely swimming can't be that bad?

Elsewhere, rock music was on the agenda down the the training ground, a small venue curiously named after 'aluminium', with Craig Beattie revealing a little too much about his ipod tastes.

During shooting practice one of Beattie's shots had a wayward swing to it.

But, luckily for him, long-haired Birmingham Mail snapper Tim Easthope was on hand to block the ball.

'Nice one Meatloaf', said Beats - completely unaware that our Tim fancies himself more of a David Ginola lookalike. Even so, taking an insult from the Scotland striker was better than taking one in the face from a skiewed volley.

It was a tough session with temperatures soaring into the mid-30s and staying there for most of the afternoon. It should get hotter later this week.

Early start tomorrow. The intense heat means 9am fitness training, following a late session concentrated around ball work.

Assistant boss Eddie Newton told the Albion players to ease up earlier on following an intense 90-minute session as they prepared to play a practice match.

But that didn't stop a certain player grabbing Roberto Di Matteo's shirt and trying to wrestle the Italian to the ground, not realising it was the Baggies gaffer shielding the ball.

First rule of football - never upset your new boss.

Don't be surprised to see poor Kim Do-heon marginalised for a while after that schoolboy error...or at least made to run several laps of the field next time they train.

In this heat, I'd rather be dropped personally.

Albion players' threatening to go on strike, coach drivers getting lost, Scooby Do theme song, Nigel Mansell calling, blind leading the well-sighted and winning, managers stropping off to sign players (when they actually did nothing of the sort), Gary Megson lookalikes, journalists needing to lend Lee Hughes' kit after baggage is lost, journalists falling into swimming pools fully clothed, Simon Miotto singing Old MacDonald Had A Farm in Italian, LA Galaxy wanting Albion, LA Galaxy dumping Albion, Portugal, denials of another game, confirmation of another game, Paul Gascoigne turning up, a boat trip, Bryan Robson swimming, a manager stropping off to sign players (again), Ronald Koeman, Mrs Figo (very nice she was too), footballers getting on their bikes...and getting lost, John Hartson telling the photographers to point their lenses away from him, 40 degrees celsius, Curtis Davies exploding in a rage at Jeremy Peace, Crvena Zvezda (the best name in football surely?), one player falling asleep in a lift, Paul Robinson imploding, the Elvis bar, press officer John Simpson's birthday, Joe Corrigan and his Withnail and I impressions, fans getting hassle in Croatia, transfer requests, unknown footballers checking into a hotel (it was Marek Cech we soon found out), Paul O'Grady lookalikes, Tony Mowbray trying not to laugh, Mario Kart, wedding ceremonies interrupted, Borussia Moenchengladbach, Cologne, Albion victories, Albion defeats and the occasional draw.

Just some of the things we have been able to report on during Albion's pre-season tours.

There's a lot more we haven't.

I doubt this tour will disappoint.

Stick around on here and www.birminghammail.net for all the latest news from Albion's training camp in Ptuj this week.

TWO years ago Albion travelled to Slovenia against a backdrop of two players who were desperate to leave the club.

Curtis Davies was one. Promised a move if Albion failed to win promotion at the end of the previous campaign - they'd lost in the play-offs just a few weeks before - he felt the club were not true to their word.

Tony Mowbray was happy for him to leave. Jeremy Peace wanted the right price and sure as hell not going to budge until he got it - and boy didn't he get it in the end?

Yet Curtis' conduct in Slovenia was reasonably good. He was enthusiastic during training sessions, he remained upbeat and kept his dignity.

Inside he was burning with rage yet it was hard to tell he was desperate to leave.
When a colleague and I finally spoke to him, on the record, after the game against Crvena Zvezda, the fury finally came out.

He took a pop at Jeremy Peace, admitted there was no captain-manager chemistry between himself and Tony Mowbray and he knew that clubs who were interested were beginning to have their heads turned elsewhere.

A few weeks later Curtis effectively went on strike, forcing a clearly unfit Neil Clement to struggle against a rampant Ade Akinbiyi.

The second player was Paul Robinson.

Throughout that Slovenia trip he, to use a common footballer's analogy, 'kept his head down'. He wasn't his usual bubbly self, he made it clear he didn't wish to be there. Interviews were out of the question. His face was contorted and he generally frowned for most of the week.

He was denied moves that summer due to medical issues relating to his knee. He denied those but they were flagged up by Jeremy Peace during the chairman's press briefings.

Two years on and we're in danger of seeing a re-run of Groundhog Day.

Albion leave for Slovenia this weekend and, again, we have no prospect of Robinson being granted his move.

That's not good.

I firmly believe that Marek Cech's lack of first-team progress at Albion was in part down to Tony Mowbray's unwillingness to drop Robinson when he should have. Perhaps Mowbray felt that Robinson was too powerful and influential to drop?

A happy Paul Robinson is a courageous, dynamic, full-hearted Paul Robionson. His character masks any flaws in his game, certainly at the level Albion are about to play in. But an unhappy Paul Robinson is what we got in Slovenia two years ago and what we may get again next week.

He wants to play in the top flight, Gary Megson wants to sign him and, right now, Roberto Di Matteo's opening weeks as head coach are in danger of being derailed by a saga which involves a player who no longer wishes to be at the club.

Forget Di Matteo straight-batting the question about Robbo's future at today's press conference. He may say that Robinson is part of Albion's future but, let's face it, a parting is needed for all concerned.

Robinson has pretty much blown it with those he had an affinity with. Telling supporters you want to leave once, as he did in 2007, is one thing and can be put down to ambition, naivity, or even accusations that comments have been taken out of context (which they weren't, I hasten to add).

But doing it twice is another. Openly declaring that you want out, before then telling people you wish to join Mowbray at Celtic (absolutely no chance of that happening) is just reckless.

Robinson must have known that Jeremy Peace only sells at his price.

The player will find Albion fans in an unforgiving mood when he's next on the pitch in a competitive fixture. Like Davies, Robinson too missed that game at Burnley due to 'outside issues'. Let's hope Albion's pre-season and opening weeks of the new campaign aren't, once again, over-shadowed in this way.

The Robinson saga must not drag on any further.

This is one deal where Peace must be prepared to skip over a few pages in his own rule-book.

Robinson must be allowed to leave. It would be dignified if he went with a pat on the back for his services and messages of good luck, although I suspect too much has been said on his part. Shame really as this was the man who used to thank the fans come win, lose or draw.

This is an exciting new era for Albion - it would be a shame for it to be ruined by an unsavoury episode.

It's getting nearer. Forget the cricket - the football season is edging closer.

That's a good thing.

It was press conference day at the training ground today.

And if Simon Cox is half as confident on the pitch as he is off it then he should score the odd goal or two.

It's not many 22-year-olds who talk about bringing 'swagger' and describe themselves as 'arrogant' to a room of people they don't know. Irony is that he was anything but aloof or smug. He was simply enthusiastic and desperate to stick on some boots.

Cox has the demeanour of someone who will bring character, as well as an eye for goal, to the table.

Bantering away with his new head coach and the assembled press, he isn't your average footballer. He's already promised you 15 goals next season. No pressure there then.

Whether or not he makes his debut at Histon remains to be seen but you can bet he'll be the first name on the team-sheet for the Swindon game if he gets his way.

Transfer wise, Youssouf Mulumbu should get done sometime on Friday.

Albion were surprised to see him report back to pre-season training when the players returned - not least as he wasn't their player.

Matters also haven't been helped by several different people claiming to represent him.

But things are moving along and should get done soon.

Albion hit the road for their first pre-season friendly on Saturday.

But a bit of advice for those of you heading to Histon, don't go setting the club's postcode in your satnav.

I did that the last time Albion played there two years ago, and ended up pulling up outside a field full of sheep. And some several miles from the ground.

If you know any Leeds fans, they might be able to help you...just stand well away when you ask them.