Albion manager Tony Mowbray has backed evergreen striker Kevin Phillips to play on for another year – and hinted he could end his career at The Hawthorns.
Phillips will be 35 by the start of next season and his Baggies contract is due to expire in the summer. But the former England man, who is just three goals short of 200 in league football, is in red hot form with 14 already this season and 21 in his last 20 Baggies appearances.
And Mowbray is confident that the ex-Sunderland hero can extend his illustrious career for at least another season.
“There is no question at all that he can continue next year,” said Mowbray.
“The positive for Kevin is that he is naturally a very fit guy.
“He has great enthusiasm and he has a target every game because like all great goalscorers he lives for scoring goals.
“He will set himself targets and while he is scoring at the ratio he has at the moment why wouldn’t he continue and keep enjoying his football.”
Phillips will become a free agent when his current Baggies deal runs out, alerting other clubs to the potential availability of a proven scorer looking for one last hoorah.
But Mowbray insists there is no dispute between player and club and he believes Phillips is likely to still be an Albion player next season.
Meanwhile the transfer speculation around the Hawthorns continued today as the transfer window opened with fresh reports surrounding Zoltan Gera’s future.
Middlesbrough are rep-orted to be preparing a £500,000 bid for the Hungarian captain, whose contract also expires in the summer.
Boro boss Gareth Southgate is said to be willing to pay up now to avoid taking his chances when Gera becomes a free agent.
But all the signals from Hawthorns officials suggest the Baggies will not sell unless Gera asks to leave and the winger seems more inclined to wait to assess all his options in the summer.
Loading ...
7 Comments
I’d love to see Kevin stay on for as long as he feels fit enough to. However we are not the one man team the National papers would have everyone believe, witnessed by the fact that when we lost our two top goal scorers we carried on winning. The style of football we play now creates genuine scoring opportunities, not long ball hit and miss chances. Credit to the management for this. I think many strikers would walk over broken glass to play in this team. Before you say it LCW, yes I know you’d like to make KP walk over broken glass but this is just a metaphor, not an option.
1) Lol, Tbf KP is amazing at this level, but most of his goals come from goal hanging. I dont think he’s got the pace for the Premiership. And you’ll be singing the praises of someone else if you go up. (Someone quicker and more powerful) Good luck today at Ipswich thats gonna be tough for you. Wolves will be up there soon, Honest
LOVE KP TO STAY, OUR NEW SUPER BOB
Superb player and a credit to football with his professionalism would like to see him here for a few more years and do a job in the Prem (if we get there), he may have to be content with a sub’s role more and more if we get to the Prem but class is permenent.
2 - you gave up the right to banter when you posted about someone breaking KP’s legs - you are a moron and not worthy of debate.
But as per usual you are also completely wrong, as Phillips regularly scores from out side the box as shown by his 2 goals against Scunthorpe last game - but never let the facts get in the way of being a prat - oh and remember the net buster at the doggy bowl last season ?
Now go away.
Loyal-Cannock-Wolf: Goal Hanging!
What was Wayne Clarke’s job @ Molyneux?
Happy New Year,
I see its started already,
Thats why we BOING BOING because
we bounce straight back.