November 2009 Archives

Some of us will do our jobs well and some will not, but we will be judged by only one thing-the result. Vince Lombardi

You may hear something similar coming from a Roberto Di Matteo press conference one day soon.

The Baggies boss was back behind his managerial desk on Tuesday preparing for this Saturday's game against Bristol City.

Sky Sports on continuous loop in one corner, a whiteboard of first-team names behind him, Eddie Newton tapping away on his laptop at the other end of the office.

On Di Matteo's desk lay the autobiography of Vince Lombardi.

The legendary US football coach - winner of five league titles during a nine year spell with Green Bay Packers - was one of the names bandied around when Tony Mowbray pitched up at B71 with his bag of humility. Mowbray swore by his genius.

Perhaps Mowbray forgot to pack his book when he left for Glasgow but Di Matteo is also trying to relate to the inspirational figure.

The autobiographies of England's rugby World Cup winning coach Clive Woodward and entrepreneur Richard Branson are also among those on the Italian's bookshelf.

Di Matteo said: "You try to learn every day.

"I've read Clive Woodward's book, which was very good.

"Richard Branson's autobiography, which I also thought was very good.

"You try to look at people who have been successful in their lives and see if there is something else you can do. You want to get better."

Speaking of inspiration, last Thursday's live Albion webchat (Thanks again to those who popped along) prompted a message from a supporter called chinawhite.

The idea is for Albion to honour soldiers with free tickets for a given game - or, as chinawhite called it, 'tickets for the troops'.

There was an added suggestion that the Baggies players visit Selly Oak hospital where so many brave servicemen lie injured.

Whether a hospital visit is feasible or practical may not be for Albion to decide, but the 'tickets for troops' idea is one which would certainly get a lot of support from all football fans, myself included.

I put it to Albion on Monday morning and have been told that the idea will be discussed. Let's wait and see what they come up with...

*One last thing, Abdoulaye Meite and Saloman Kalou exchanging blows while on duty with Ivory Coast. Personally I never knew Abou had it in him.

Striving to win promotion may not necessarily be Roberto Di Matteo's biggest ask this season - trying to keep his senior players happy will also test his managerial credentials.

Marek Cech has become the latest player to come out and, pretty much, demand a first-team spot.

His outburst is all the more surprising. It was myself who, along with a colleague from another newspaper, conducted a standard post-match interview, after Saturday's win against Leicester.

The question I asked related to something completely different.

It didn't refer to his own state of mind, nor his future - indeed I assumed he was far happier with his situation than he ever was under Tony Mowbray.

During the course of answering the question, Cech volunteered that he would be considering his future if he didn't win back his first-team place.

Just to put it into perspective, he's been on the bench for the last three games and used twice. He's appeared in 12 of Albion's 16 League games, either as sub or a starter.

Cech is a bright, courteous and polite bloke, as is Robert Koren, who expressed his desire to leave during an interview with Slovenian journalists a fortnight ago.

Koren hasn't been happy for some time. He was disappointed that Tony Mowbray opted for Borja Valero and Jonathan Greening as his central midfield partnership last season when he felt that he deserved an extended run in that role.

And this year the form of Youssouf Mulumbu, Graham Dorrans and, more recently, Gonzalo Jara, have made it nigh on impossible for Roberto Di Matteo to accomodate the Slovenian in his favoured position.

Two managers have been unwilling to risk him in the centre.

But both he and Cech need to consider the team's situation, not just their own.

Albion are in second spot. They have just scored seven times in two games and only Cardiff have scored more Championship goals.

Koren can, of course, play on the flanks - but so can Cech, Chris Brunt and Jerome Thomas.

On the subject of Cech, he's unlucky to find Thomas in decent form and Brunt back in action, a player who brings so much to Albion's attacking play, more so than Cech I'd argue.

Cech has perhaps more scope for complaint with the left-back situation.

He was kept out of the side last season because Paul Robinson was such a dominant personality in Albion's dressing room that Mowbray felt unable to leave him out of the side, regardless of his form.

Joe Mattock has taken time settling in so you could have made an argument for Cech's inclusion at some point this season. But then Cech has never really excelled at left-back, apart from just once perhaps. Mattock, meanwhile, has shown signs of progress more recently. He's 19-years-old and will improve.

Cech's determination to represent Slovakia at their first major tournament is understandable. But the World Cup is still seven months away.

It also suggests a lack of faith in himself. Surely if he's good enough to play every week then he will do so - I certainly don't recall Cech performing outstandingly during Albion's 1-0 defeat to Swansea, his last start for the club. He was substituted at half-time, which suggests that Di Matteo wasn't too sure either.

Di Matteo has enough to deal with. He's adjusting to a new club and the expectation that comes with that.

He could do with all of his players lending their support, not least his senior ones. As Cech rightly pointed out - it's a long season, so both he and Koren will be used at some stage this season. And as Emile Heskey is finding, a lack of club action doesn't necessarily mean dimishing opportunities with the national side.

Cech has previous for speaking out. Last season his frustrations were understandable, he was being kept out by Robinson, even when the latter was struggling.

Di Matteo isn't scared of pushing youngsters into the frame and, while Albion keep making progress, both Koren and Cech need to show more humility - also remembering that Albion pay their wages, not the respective Slovenian or Slovakian FAs.

The upshot is that both footballers can be key figures for Albion between now and the end of the season.

*TUNE into this Thursday's Albion live chat, between 1.30 and 2.30 at www.birminghammail.net/live

Leicester tomorrow, La Manga on Sunday.

Leicester and La Manga. Where have I seen those words in one context before?

Albion jet out for a five-day training camp next week, a custom which has grown since Bryan Robson's time at the club, when they were, ominously, referred to as 'bonding trips'.

The closed-shop nature of the five-day jaunt mean that playing and coaching staff only will be allowed on the Spanish trip - no media officers, no press, no photographers hanging around.

Back in days of Andy Johnson and Geoff Horsfield - I'm sure they won't mind me mentionning it - I would spend every morning tentatively flicking through the pages of the national tabloid newspaper, just in case a 'footballers in crazed rampage' headline flashed before my eyes. And it did once - a fire extinguisher being released in a luxury Dubai hotel.

Still, surely nothing can top the Foxes trip to the Spanish resort a few years back when Dennis Wise made friends with his team-mates in his own unique manner.

But somehow I can't see Roberto Di Matteo's men slipping into such bad habits.

Knowing the current squad - minus the seven internationals - the only controversies of the week will centre around who-rammed-who off the track in the marathon Mario Kart sessions.

THANK goodness there was a scoreboard.

Some of us were running out of fingers to keep count of the score in tonight's reserve-team game between Burton Albion and the Baggies.

It finished Burton Albion 0, West Bromwich Albion 10.

In no particular order - Reid (2), Martis (2), Wood (2), Downing, Bednar, Elford-Alliyu and Barnett did the damage against a dreadfully hapless Burton Albion side, featuring 46-year-old goalkeeper Kevin Poole.

At least referee Mr M Bristow showed a sympathetic side (why do clubs never give the first name of officials on team-sheets or programmes?)

Eight second-half goals and four substitutions should have necessitated a mandatory 30 seconds for each goal and sub. We were facing a minimum of five minutes added on. Mr Bristow called time when the clock hit 90 minutes.

Check out the match report in tomorrow's Birmingham Mail.

When was the last time Albion scored 10 in a fixture of any sort?

And speaking of teasers, here's one for you: Looking back at Saturday's 5-0 win against Watford, when was the last time three different Albion players scored their first-ever League goals for the club in one game?

Good luck with that one.

When can you not enjoy a five nil win?

Roberto Di Matteo wasn't happy after the victory against Watford.

He spat out his answers in the post-match press conference when explaining why he was so seemingly unhappy.

Albion's head coach was upset by the 'critics' who tore into his side following the 0-0 at Coventry City last weekend and in recent weeks when his side have taken just one win in seven games.

Whether he meant the press, the fans or the post-match phone-ins he never explained.

Di Matteo argues, somewhat correctly, that Albion are minus Morrison, Miller, Clement, with Bednar and Brunt both absent against Coventry and in previous games. Fair point.

And, let's be honest, third spot in a tough division was a considerable achievement for any new boss. The fact his side are now top after their second five goal win of the season is even more impressive. For this he deserves credit. And credit he has had.

However, part of Di Matteo's development as a manager must include learning to take criticism - because any poor result for a club of Albion's size in the Championship will be scrutinised, whether it's by fans, the written press, the more unforgiving radio media and their frenzied phone-in culture, or those sat at home listening via the Internet or watching Soccer Saturday.

One victory in seven games will always prompt debate.

Saturated coverage of footbal and the relentless need for results has contributed to a changing landscape when it comes to the analysis of matches, performances and team selections. Everyone, of all ages and backgrounds, will offer opinions.

Albion have won promotion with two different managers on three occasions during the last eight seasons - so expectation is something Di Matteo will need to deal with, not least as he has aspirations to manage at the highest level. He will have been conditioned to that as a player with Lazio, Chelsea and, more so, Italy. It's something he will not have experienced as a manager, until now.

It goes with the job.

Di Matteo has had a lot of praise already this season, whether through the written press, the radio coverage or from fans. He impressed those who attended a supporters' forum some weeks ago and he's produced some good results on the pitch. He sees football in a more pragmatic, sensible manner than his predecessor Tony Mowbray.

He is missing two of his best players through injury and was without key personnel for recent games. Dips in form are always likely yet scrutiny remains a part of the job.

It's a shame Di Matteo was unable to enjoy Saturday's victory against a Watford side who have done well in recent times. In some ways he is right not to get carried away. And he's spot on about five 1-0s being better than a couple of 5-0s.

But, equally, if you can't enjoy your second five nil win before the end of October then when can you?

He needs to enjoy the good times no matter how hard the fall-out is from the bad times.

PS. These rumours about David Healy... completely wide of the mark.