Albion striker Ishmael Miller has warned fans to brace themselves for a tough survival fight in the Premier League next season.
The young forward is confident the Baggies can eventually make a splash in the top flight but he has admitted consolidation can be the only aim for their first season back among English football’s elite.
Albion are looking forward to a return to the elite after their draw at home to Southampton on Monday effectively secured promotion.
And Miller said: “We need to stay up and to secure our status in the Premier League. That has to be the aim for next season and if we can do that we can try to push on from there.
“We need to be prepared for a relegation fight next season but our target needs to be to stay in the division and I’m confident we’ve got the players to do that.
“Personally I think we will take to the Premier League well because we have good players and we play the right type of football for that level.
“But players and fans have to be prepared for the fact it might be a fight against relegation next year and if we can survive the first season we can look to improve each season and move forwards.”
Miller has, meanwhile, joined the list of Albion players urging the club to resolve the futures of out-of-contract duo Zoltan Gera and Kevin Phillips.
And he paid tribute to the impact of strike partner Phillips.
Miller said: “Hopefully we can sort the two players out because they have done really well for us this season.
“They are great players and great personalities in the dressing room so hopefully we can keep them and keep our squad together.
“It would be great to sort their contracts out. I think it’s possible and hopefully it will happen.
“It’s a great feeling to play alongside Kevin.
“In my short career he is one of the best players I have played with and the player I have learned most from.
“He is a great striker and a great finisher and he has been one of the best players in the division this year,” added Miller.
32 Comments
weem up now just enjoy the ride,,man utd,arsenal ,the pool ,chelsea,,it sure beats going to plymouth,norwich ,wolves etc……..looking forward to a cracking season THE MOWBRAY WAY,,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,,OH YES
You may have to play wolves yet next season you numpty! ive heard some classics on here but albion fans saying lets get kightly, so your going to sell your awful stadium and half your squad to fund this? great start to life in the top flight your 2 best player leaving on free tr5ansfers! I say go to celtic sign another cr5aig beattie or hartson is more realistic then kightly! showing the tescos how to win at wembley!
2: So why can’t West Brom afford Kightly, at most with his injury proneness of late the most you would fetch realistically is £5 million, with the Premiership monies coming in and £10 million from Curtis Davies plus more why is Kightly out of West Broms price range?
So Kightly is worth more than £62.000.000 lol. Would like to see Kites at the baggies but would only pay 3 to 4 million
Laughingwolf, it’s a little early to be drinking mate, win a Wembley you say?, you have to get there first mate and that is never going to happen this season. If we want Kightly and we offer enough money I wouldn’t rule anything out, after all he’s not going to get Premiership football with you lot is he? Also, no-one has left, contracts will be discussed during the summer and I believe players contracts run until the end of June you numpty. Phillips will stay and it’s 50/50 whether Gera stays or not. If he leaves good luck to him we arn’t like you lot we are not bitter and twisted we are big enough to wish players well who do a good job for our club. Get real dingle!!!! Anyway Kightly is worth about 4M tops, pocket change for us!!!!
Boing Boing
Wolves can keep Kightly..he’s found his level!
Think Wolves would sell Kightly for 4million.
Mid table Championship or Mid table Premiership.
mmmmmmmm what would he choose?
2. laughing, its very unlikely though isnt it? Can you really see Hull bridging a 13 goal gap on the last day?
If we did sell our ground and half our squad we’d get a damn sight more than the £10 JH got for yours (and the whole squad)
Youve made me laugh nearly as much as Terry does, nugget
2,laff, OH NO WE WONT boing boing come on the pilgrims
2,laff, i hope watford lose,palace lose,you draw,and ipswich n sheff utd pip the 3 on ya,that would be fun boing boing we already there,
last year we went on holiday to a remote part of new zealand. the villagers where we stayed knew nothing about football except one old guy..he said he knew just 2 things..1 wayne rooney plays for man utd..and 2 that west brom are crap!!!
NUFF SAID THERE I FEEL..COME ON YOU WOLVES.
Terry, you are right, that would be fun. But I want funnier.
Hope they make the play-offs and get beat in the final by a dodgey goal OR even funnier, they make it to the greed league and surely finish even worse than Derby.
2 - we’re laughing at you again Wolf.
Kightly is injury prone, not sure if TM would go for him and I don’t think Wolves would want to sell any playes to us. Your scraping the barrel about Gera and Phillips going. There’s not really much you can throw at us is there? It’s well known that they are happy at the club but if they do go then good luck to them.
southbank barmy army (11), thats a seriously funny joke mate, get yourself on britains got talent, pretty sharpish.
I think Kightly would be a good buy for us - but he has only had a season and a half due to injuries…. and the championship aint the prem - he is still unproven.
I think £3Mill would be a fair price - we paid about that for Brunt.
Too often albion buy good championship players only to find they aint good enough in the prem (Earnie, Ellington ect…) the difference this time is that we aint pinning out=r hopes on them - we have a squad that we KNOW is capable.
“and 2 that west brom are crap!!!”
At least he knew about West Brom
You have to wonder about people like laughingwolf… I have often likened the wolves fans to Capt Scarlet….
You can smash them, thrash them, humiliate them, beat them, outplay them and ridicule them - and STILL they will believe they are the biggest and best team in the area….
I would like to Kightly in a decent side really before making comment on how good he is. Yes he shines in what can only be described as a poor Wolves side but would he he be any better than we already have.
Dont get me wrong I think he has a great future in the game but is he Premiership standard at the moment? It would be a gamble at lets say 3 million that may be worth taking as I am sure he would improve with our way of playing football.
*missed the word “see”
Happy_baggie you have just pretty much reitterated what I put in another thread….spot on mate.
11 - Yep you said it Albion are world famous! Wolves, well clearly the villager had never heard of ‘em.
2 - Do you really want to play us again next season, how many times have you beaten us in the last 10 years again. Concerning Kightly, if someone offers 4 million and premiership football he’ll be gone. I can hear Jez Moxey rubbing his hands together already!
i think earnie is a player that we could do with. he scored 11 goals in the prem for us, hasnt realy had the chance at derby. Kightly is a quality player, but wud u hav him in you team over gera if he stays? BOING BOING
Apologies in advance for this, what is going to be a rather fragmented post, and has nothing to do with the theme of the blog.
I had to be on the road at 5am Tuesday morning,
consequently my celebratory intents were curtailed somewhat.
Only arriving back today, i have been trying to catch up on the boards so to speak.
First things first,
what a fantastic and emotional night Monday turned out to be.
Happy, Bomber and all, the Vine Friday……..
still on ?
Since Luke Moore joined us, it would be fair to say, he has not enjoyed 100% backing from the fans,
and today i have read comments that we should not pursue his services, but in less complimentary terms.
My personal response to this is…………
Chris Brunt, in the early days of his Baggies career, his performances were conspicuous at best, but the fans never doubted that he would
come good, which indeed he has.
All i`m saying is please afford Luke Moore the same respect and patience, and i think we will see a “good un”
or we should sign S.E.B. only player that can score for the wolves. would b terrible if someone offered £3.5m.
I agree re luke moore. At the momment his is the 1 striker i am sure we have who could make an impact. I know he has come from the vile but i think we shoudl give hime a chance.
as fior arguing with the wolves let them argue with there rivals Hereford/ Walsall and the likes in the litlle boys league
I agree with Wbaforever, give Luke Moore a chance he is still relitavily young, has come back from a long term injury and has been asked to play out of position a lot of the time. I trust TM judgement but if he get’s it wrong ocassionally they soon find themselves out on loan or sold so don’t worry we are in good hands. Oh and Southbank barmy army stop it my sides are hurting, NOT!!! We’ll see who laughing on Sunday when we take the title and you take the afternoon shouting McCarthy out, Moxely out, Morgan out, have i left anybody out!!!!!!! South bank barmy army out!!!!
Boing Boing
PREMIER HERE WE COME, WOLVES, LEAGUE 1 HERE YOU COME!!!!!!!!!!
wbaforever
I will be in the Vine for about 6.30pm, no i am not an alcoholic just going straight from work.
I am not driving and will be celebrating like it is Friday and we have just won promotion to the best league in the world.
You coming then??
Oh and i agree about Luke Moore, i beleive his attitude has been questionned, but he has undoubted ability, i half expect him to get the goal that wins us the title!!
See you tomorrow, bring your drinking arm with you!!!
wbaforever - yes I’m still on for the Vine - I hope a few posters can make it.
As for Moore - i think he is suffering from 2 things….
1) Association with the Villa. Because he is on loan from our neighbours some fans do not seem to have taken to him. I’m sure if we had brought him the fans would feel different.
2) His early sending off has for some reason turned fans against him - yet Robbo can suffer the same fate and get clapped off the pitch…
I am a definate LM fan - as you know i suggested his aquisition at the start of the season - and have seen nothing to suggest he will not be a good prospect.
You are right about Brunt - but the fans love him, yet Beattie can score some crackers and not get the support.
I guess thats football !!
Maybe we should all wear something that the others will recognise as bloggers, oh yes, i forgot, we will all be wearing very very large smiles!!!!
bomber - we could all wear a carnation - but I can’t balance the tin on me head for long !!
I love it with the baggies in the premiership again what a bet. £100 on Stoke and the baggies to get relegated. Won a packet when they got relegated last time won a few hundred with them getting promotion this year.
love it. Fail again please.
I am waiting for the odds with Stan James. Due next week.
Stoke and WBA for relegation next season
BRING IT ON BOING BLO**Y BOING
23.BANG ON MATE ,MOORE WILL COME GOOD,I KNOW A FEW VILLIANS WHO DIDNT WANT HIM TO COME TO US,HE HAS MORE PACE THAN ANY ONE WE HAVE UP FRONT,HES A
CONFIDENCE PLAYER,ONE FOR NEXT SEASON.
ANYWAY ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE,ARE THERE ANY FABRICATOR WELDERS OUT THERE TO TAKE THE TOP OF THE BUS AGAIN BECAUSE WE PUT IT BACK ON AFTER THE PORTSMOUTH GAME.LOL.ALBION TILL WE DIE.