Albion are drawing up a transfer hit-list of potential Premier League signings – but Tony Mowbray insists no-one is taking promotion for granted.
Mowbray already knows some of the players he would like to bring to The Hawthorns should the Baggies clinch promotion from the Championship and a return to the top flight in the next fortnight.
But the boss admits some of his planning for next season must remain on hold until he knows which division he is building for.
However, he believes the club’s pleasing style of play will help recruit players in the summer regardless of the outcome of the Championship promotion race.
“You’ve got to plan, prepare and identify players and talk to people who can produce players for you,” said Mowbray.
“Some players only want to come to the Premier League and they see themselves as only being Premier League players and that’s all they are interested in.
“So you have to keep them on the back burner but there are other players who might be youngsters in your team or squad regardless of what division you are in and will just be delighted to come to a team that plays in a way they want to be involved with.
“That’s been a positive for us in recruitment. People do want to come to Albion because they like what they see. We do have lists.”
However, Mowbray insists his players were taking nothing for granted as they head for Norwich this afternoon for tomorrow’s penultimate away game of the season.
The Baggies have a two-point lead at the top from Hull and Stoke, who are tied on points for second spot.
But Mowbray insists he will have no problems bringing his team back down to earth after Tuesday’s Black Country derby win.
“I don’t think it’s a tough job,” said Mowbray. “They can see the finishing line.
“Sometimes fear can be a driving motivation and I’m sure the players know that there are teams behind us within just two points.
“By the end of play tomorrow we could be in third so we’re only one 90 minutes away from it not being in our own hands.”
16 Comments
Last year TM said he had two lists of targets depending on which league we were in.
We didn’t go up, but brought Brunt, Miller, Bednar, Cesar, Barnett, Morrison, Hoefkins and Koren (plus Beattie, Pele and Kim) - and that was his CHAMPIONSHIP list.
I’m wetting my pants at the thought of what his prem list is like….
Well lets get promotion first you might start upsetin some of are players
I’ll give him credit, Tony Mowbray might be a boring git, but he’s very astute in the transfer market
No.3. He ain’t a boring git at all, just VERY thoughtful and down-to-earth. He is honest, tells it as it is, never uses cliches like, ’sick as a parrott’, ‘pulling up trees’, ‘putting in a shift’ and other boring, inarticulate phrases. Football managers aren’t there for their eloquence so to have one who CAN express himself under the media spotlight is rare. Anyway, who cares? His football does the talking and with the style we play I could listen all day! When you buying at the lower end of the market you get one or two who don’t make it. But think Koren, Barnett, Bednar, Brunt, Morrison…if I’ve missed anyone forgive me.
end of the day, how can anyone question our buying power at the minute, we hear all this rubbish about parachute payments, but look at the list of buys. if we didnt make the prem and it all went pearshaped, we have a team that if we had to sell we’d make good profit and if not some fine tuning would see us up next year, regardless of who comes down.
JP - so who do you want TM?
TM - mmmmmmm, well i wouldnt mind ronaldo, rooney and maybe a couple of defenders, rio, terry??? i dont want to be greedy you know me.
JP - the thing is tony we need players that will make us better as a team.
TM - true what about garry breen?
JP - now come on tony be serious
TM - i am, we could do with a new groundsman someone who could mill around, not do a lot and get paid a fortune.
JP - sorry tony but i think we’ll stick to the ones we’ve got.
boggies kites would be a great scoop for you,but if we make the playoffs and win then kites might as well stay with us but im talking rubbish because dopey mm,as’nt a clue so stick a 3 mil offer in for kites and you might just stay up in the prem.
B71.BAGGIES ..I take humbridge to that, my father does an excellent job at the Hawthorns,have you seen the excellent state that the pitch is in ??even after all these games,we came third in the vote for the best playing surface of the Championship.Is that a reason to want a new groundsman. Iam deeply hurt by your comments,but will forgive you after we win at Norwich. Boing Boing
Cov
Quite right your father is after all a Baggies groundsman probably the best groundsman in the world.
Take it for granted, promotion that is. Kights won’t be for sale. We don’t need Baggies sniping at us as our own `fans` can whinge and whine at everything `Wolves` when things don’t go perfectly. Best of look Saturday and you will win the Championship.
We’re looking at potential premiership targets, but nobody is taking promotion for granted,DOH.
how arrogant is that? typical baggie statement!!
PLONK.
Its in ow er own hands no tony win the next two games and draw the next then no one can stop us winning the league
Well…..this is a tuff one, so why dont we ask the Bookies. To winn the title: Wba 8/11. Hull 7/2. Stoke 4/1. Bristol 12/1. Watford 14/1. The Bookies never get it wrong…or do they ?? THINK 4 POINTS COULD BE ENOUGH FOR WBA. That means Hull and Stoke needs 7p and Bristol 9p to beat us, due to our better goaldiff, and 2 of the 3 needs to beat us. And as you know, Stoke plays Bristol today, so both of these teams cant make it. So a draw in that game means Bristol is out, and Stoke needs 2 more winns, + Hull to get a min. of 7 points. So if, and if, and if…Just get 6 points in the next 2 games, even if I think 4 could do. Please Baggies. Danish Baggie
10. Debenham.
Appreciated, coming from a proper football fan.
11. Dudley.
We are top of the league with 3 games to go. Making plans for ‘if’ we go up is sensible not arrogant. Planning your open top bus ride like a certain other club did is arrogant. Besides, during an interview a manager must answer the questions he is asked.
14. The real Bully
It’s not over ’til it’s over’
Best of luck anyway, JUST DO IT FIRST.
I can’t stand horse racing but I learnt from my Gran who was brilliant at pickin’ ‘em to win that the favourites don’t always come out on top. We’re favourites to win it but we’ve got to go out and do it. Around 5pm tonight we should know a little bit more. Meantime, DON’T PANIC, DON’T PANIC! Oh Hell……