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Albion legend Cyrille Regis believes Tony Mowbray’s footballing philosophy will give them their best chance yet of becoming an established Premier League club.
The Baggies’ brand of beautiful football earned them a host of new admirers from outside the Black Country last season as they showed style and substance could be combined to escape the Championship.
Somewhat fittingly, the opening weekend of the new season has pitted Mowbray against the man from whom he has drawn so many of his footballing principles, Arsene Wenger.
And Regis, who was awarded an MBE earlier this month, believes the ‘persist with passing’ maxim means they will kick off at The Emirates on August 16 better equipped for life in the Barclays Premier League than ever before.
Asked whether this was the most impressive shape Albion had been in to stay in the big league, he replied: “Definitely. I think one of the great things is the game they play under Mowbray and in the Premier League it’s about possession.
“I love his philosophy, the way he plays football. They were easily the best Championship side, playing beautiful, flowing football which is great to watch. And in the Premier League, if he can get that extra bit of quality, he has a real chance.”
Regis admits finding that added quality can be easier said than done for the manager of a newly-promoted side, with players likely to prefer established outfits.
However, the 50-year-old, speaking at a signing session for Barclays employees and customers at their West Bromwich branch, says Albion’s attractive approach on the field will accentuate their appeal.
He added: “Players know that West Brom, Hull and Stoke are going to be favourites to go down, so if you’re a Premier League play you think ‘Do I go to West Brom or do I go somewhere safer?’
“So it’s very difficult to recruit when you’ve just come up, because the likelihood of going straight back down is very high.
“Trying to get Premier League-class players to go there is difficult. But players will look at Albion’s style and think ‘I like the way they play, the freedom Mowbray lets you play with, his philosophy. It’s a fairly big club with a great history, yeah I fancy going there’.”
But Albion supporters have been warned to keep their expectations in check, with simply survival equating to success according to Regis, who scored 112 goals in 302 appearances for Albion between 1977 and 1985.
He added: “I’m positive they can do it, it’s about consolidation.
Anything else is an absolute bonus. You really have four divisions within the Premier League. It’s one step at a time.”
Few players did more for the progression of black footballers than Regis during his time at The Hawthorns in the 1970s and 1980s.
And the 50-year-old regards Blackburn’s appointment of ex-Wolves midfielder Paul Ince as their new boss – ending the wait for the Premier League’s first black British manager – as a major breakthrough.
He said: “It’s absolutely fantastic. It’s a real, radical step. I think it’s as big as Laurie Cunningham playing for the England Under-21s; it’s as big as Viv Anderson playing for England. It’s groundbreaking.
“Paul deserves his chance – he has done well at Macclesfield and MK Dons. Now I want him to go on and achieve great success as a manager.
“When a job like that comes up, there are loads and loads of people up for it, but in (Blackburn chairman) John Williams’ eyes he saw fit that Paul Ince was the best man for the job.
“We’ve had a couple before in (Ruud) Gullit and (Jean) Tigana, but this is an English player of Afro-Caribbean background.
“It lifts barriers about black players in management and coaching, so for him to break that glass ceiling and get in there is absolutely fantastic. It’s a fantastic opportunity.
“I know there will be well wishers from both sides of the white and black divide saying ‘go on and do well – show that you can be a Premier League manager’.”
One of the first jobs on Ince’s hands will be persuading Villa target David Bentley to stay at Ewood Park
“That’s part of football,” said Regis. “He (Bentley) may go, he may not. If players really want to go, they do go.”
And one player at Villa that has spelt out his desire to leave, Gareth Barry, has been told to take his chance by Regis.
“Opportunities to play regularly with top international-class players and be in Europe regularly don’t come very often. He’s been at Villa 11 years. From a career point of view it’s a good move.”
18 Comments
Respect to Cyrille, sadly he`s right in saying the baggies will survive with their attractive football.
They were the best team at the mol last year and play the sort of stuff we can only dream about.
Get MM out now!
well done to paul ince and to blackburn, young and hungry well worthy of the chance hes been given.good enough for blackburn, but not good enough for wolves,says it all about the set up at the custerd bowl???
I agree with Cyril and the best bit of news today is that Milan Baros will not be joining us!!!His goals to games ratio in the premiership stinks. We may as well stick with what we have than buy somebody like that.
Its easy with hindsight but what an oppurtunity the Wolves had when he wanted to be their Guvnor!
It could have all been so different….Good ole MM will do the business for yer next season. I see Chris Eubanks - Blakey is in Training already, another 20 odd goals from him next season I’ll wager!
cyrille knows his stuff, and i agree with everything he says. we can stop up and establish ourselves in the prem as long as we hold on to TM and supply him with the money he needs
God i wish you was still playin!!!!
how the hell can that women say that she is i between being a wolves fan and an albion
were different class it should be no contest because were obviously the better team. you can she isnt a proper football fan.
“Poor little dingles said: God i wish you was still playin!!!!”
God, I wish you could speak English….
8 - what are you about ? I think everyone other than you understood what PLD was sayin - or should that read “saying”.
If you can’t think of something interesting to say - don’t bother.
PLD - totally agree….I just hope Miller can be half as good as Big C.
I’m torn…..Cyrille Regis says he thinks we’ll stay up, but I’m sure I read yesterday that one of the Dingles who post all over our news was sure we were going down by Xmas…..who to believe?!
This is a pickle!!
ooo number 8 were all sooo terribly sorry we cant come from the royal town of worcester.. go put ur loafers on and listen to classical fm poshboy..
They are just jealous of us Happy!
Can’t take to much of what Cyrille has to say mind, he’s hardly the sharpest tool in the box!
Ay yow Joshey, yow leeve Worcester aloon aer kid. My hero Sir Teddy Elgar wuz born theer an’ they play ‘im on Classic FM a lot, nah then. If yow ever goo t’ Symphony Hall, Ah’m the bloke reedin’ the football pages afower they start. Onny one thing Elgar got wrung, he used t’ cycle all the way to bloody Molyneux to see the Wulfies. Mind jer, they wuz a good side in them days.
we are in the prem to stay so get used to it dings,tony will turn us in to a top prem team no probs,,,,PLAYIN IN THE PREM THE MOWBRAY WAY,,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOOOOOH YES.
OK, it’s time to put this little baby to bed - The Baggies are and have always been the best team in this area. Indeed, our supporters include the likes of Frank Skinner but can be traced back as far as the bible - yes you heard me correctly. In Esther 8:15 it says, “Mordecai left the Kings presence wearing royal garments of blue and white . . .” (NIV) Go on dare you to check it out - case closed I think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
13,cyril,and my hero worcester baggie comes from there,this is wot me n worcester sing bedner is the king aye boing boing
anyway when i was down the town yesterday in my league champions 2008 T shirt a dingle walked past me n his T shirt it said league champions 1953 ya gorra loff ay ya aye boing boing
Terry, he day even get the date right aer kid. They won Division 1 in 1954, tekkin’ it off we in the last few wiks. We did win the Cup though in ‘54.