Tony Mowbray today kicked off Albion’s countdown to Wembley by declaring: “This team was built to play at Wembley.”
The Baggies boss, who was reluctant to talk up his side’s chances before the weekend, believes the exit of Manchester United and Chelsea has blown the competition wide open.
Mowbray became the first manager in 26 years to take Albion to the semi-finals when his side thrashed Bristol Rovers 5-1 yesterday to secure a trip to Wembley on April 5 or 6.
See also: Albion’s cup run in pictures
“We’re delighted to be in a semi-final at Wembley,” said Mowbray.
“We’ll look forward to playing on a great surface at Wembley and hopefully imposing our style of football.
“It should make for a good spectacle at Wembley.
“All four teams left in the competition must fancy their chances of winning the Cup.
“We’ll give it our full application in the semi-final and try and win it.
“Portsmouth will be sitting and thinking about what an opportunity they’ve got.
“But Barnsley beat Liverpool and Chelsea and I’m sure Portsmouth wouldn’t faze them.
“We all saw what a good football team Cardiff are and, playing on the open spaces of Wembley, I’m pretty sure they won’t fear anyone left in the draw either.
“If this club won the FA Cup it would be an amazing achievement.”
Mowbray is now just two wins away from becoming Albion’s first FA Cup winning manager in 40 years and has a chance of repeating Albion’s unique 1931 double of an FA Cup win and promotion to the top flight.
But he has played down his own role in potentially bringing glory days back to The Hawthorns.
“I think I’m a manager who is collective about the club,” said Mowbray.
“I’m just a cog in it. The players are the ones who have to come in every day and work hard.
“My words mean nothing. Once that ball is rolling on the grass it down to them and what they believe in one another.
“They’ve got to trust each other’s ability. All credit to the players.
“We decided to sell some of the players in the summer because there was a lot of frustration in our dressing room and players who wanted to play in the Premier League.
“We thought it was best to let those players go and ply their trade where they wanted to.
“Great credit to the chairman for the prices he got for them and we built again.
“Great credit to this bunch of players that they are at least matching our effort in the Championship, which is a pretty tough league, and doing well in the FA Cup.
“In this competition you can only beat the teams that are put in front of you.
“So far we haven’t met a Premier League team but we shouldn’t apologise for that.
“Our record shows we score goals and that’s great credit again to the players who have thirst to score goals.”
Check out today’s Express & Star for all the coverage on Albion’s win, including fans reaction, pictures, interviews - and an exclusive report from Martin Swain who spent the day with Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace
17 Comments
Totally agree, i thought that last time but we were kicked of the park. I am sure we can do it this time, hell if we can score 5 on the “pitch” last night we can score 5 anywhere
IF we get to the final i hope the midlands as a whole can get into the swing of it and be chuffed a local team has done well instead of another chelsea or arsenal. Those that don’t will rank down there with Scotish fans cheering for Argentina etc. Time to put local rivalries’ aside and also hope Wolves can sort their squad out for next year and we can all slag each other off in the Prem instead
TM is bang on - this team should look fantastic at wembley…thats why i feel so sorry for Tex.
He would have shone on the big wembley pitch…. hope the lads win it for him - he will look great in Europe instead.
If & when you win the FA Cup, you’ll also qualify for the UEFA Cup!
Albion playing European football, I saw them playing Red Star Belgrade once….
Many many moons ago!
Now get those Passport photo’s sorted out!
Good luck for the rest of the Season.
Congrats to the lads thoroughly pro performance.
Thanks to Thomas K for the penalty
Well done Luke S keeping a clean sheet
Finally really pleased for Dave J at a club that appreciates what a good manager a decent man that he is p
people keep saying they would rather get promotion then win the cup??? personally i’d much rather win the F.A Cup…lets face it when will we eva get a better chance then this season???
Whateva happens its great top be a baggie!!!!!
BOING BOING!!!!!!
2 - I can assure you the vast majority of Wolves fans (who are fair-minded) will appreciate the positive effect on West Midlands football of West Brom going all the way this year.
Finally we will have teams competing in the final for whom stepping out at Wembley on that great day will really mean something, the pinnacle of their careers. Not just another match that comes somewhere just behind winning the Premiership, finishing in the Top Four or doing well in the Champions League.
Lately the final has felt like just another Premiership match with games that have mostly been utterly forgettable. The trouble has been that we haven’t really cared about the teams or the outcome because we have known it’s not been an awe-inspiring day for them.
I can’t wait for the semi’s and the final itself - and I say that as a Wolves fan having to watch you guys striding towards Wembley! I’m just pleased new life has been breathed into the best club competition in the world.
fantastic manager,keep up the good work mow ,we love your football and style you are doing us proud,,what a time to be a baggie.brilliant.lets see everybody up the shrine wednesday and drive the lads on to three vital points…DOING THE DOUBLE THE MOWBRAY WAY,,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,,OH YES
Kent - I remember that season - we played Valencia who had the world player of the year and world cup top scorer Mario Kempes… we beat them 3.1 with two goals from bomber - and a man of the match performance from the late, great Laurie Cunningham.
Is it possible that the good times are coming back ?? Its way to early for that, and I’m trying to keep my feet on the ground - but what a fantastic journey we are on.
Just wanted to say what a great job Jared Hodgkiss did on sunday.
I was worried when I hear Hoef was out - but the kid came in and looked real class.
What a squad this is.
(p.s - I thought Jonno was IMMENSE…. a real captains performance.)
hope u get portsmouth and get hammerd
Kford dingle
your wish has been granted, and indeed we may get hammered,
but at least we have a raffle ticket.
kford wolf at least were going anywhere near wembley u muppet
kford wolf … jealousy is a cruel cruel thing and you my friend suffer very badly…
is it the fact you are jealoous or the fact you are a simple dim wit that makes u want to wish us bad luck?
we may lose yes
we may cry at wembley yes
but we have the chance to do both
wolves are at this moment in time floundering and drowning under depression and the irish B team
Kford dingle.
You are a sad,sad,little man/woman.
QUE SERA SERA, WHATEVER WILL BE WILL BE,WE’RE GOING TO WEMBLEY.HAHAHA,HAHA….
we will beat pompey and play cardiff in the finle and then we can win the cup, at least we got to the smi’s if we do loose.
and ime boinging even if we loose.
olly and dan
Albion made for Wembley: Boss
And my missus made for tight head prop. Have a great day