Albion get ready for the Premier League challenge this week with the pressure for new signings rising after the loss of defender Martin Albrechtsen.
The Danish defender, one of the solid rocks on which last season’s promotion triumph was built, took advantage of his free transfer and opted to stay in the Championship with relegated Derby, who confirmed the deal this morning.
Albion had offered Albrechtsen a new deal, yet the rewards players can claim from running down their contracts in this era is likely to have swung the 28-year-old’s decision to switch to Pride Park.
It means that the Baggies have now lost two important components from last season’s Championship winners, following the decision of Zoltan Gera to take an offer from Fulham.
Albion are still not convinced they will have striker Kevin Phillips, the third of their out-of-contract promotion winners, in their ranks next season as he remains torn between one more Premier League challenge and the two-year deals Championship clubs are offering to lure him away from the Hawthorns.
The close-season transfer market has still to burst to life and Albion gaffer Mowbray will not be panicking as he prepares to welcome back his players on Thursday.
The loss of Gera and Albrechtsen doeas add to the amount of work he has to do, to get the Baggies ready for one of the toughest fixture schedules in league football anywhere on the globe.
Albrechtsen, who signed for the Baggies from FC Copenhagen four years ago, quits the club after making 138 appearances.
He was all set to join the exodus last year but could not find a deal to better his Albion contract.
He instead went on to provide Mowbray with a bonus via his impressive performances at centre-back.
Mowbray said: “The era of Bosman means the incentives offered by clubs to out-of-contract players are often decisive in whether a player stays or leaves.”
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61 Comments
I personally think this is good news. At least now, we know TM will be focusing on improving the back 4, which is where we need improvement.
We have some fantastic players who deserve to playing Premiership football, Albrechtsen, for all his heart and endeavour, wasn’t one of them. Bring on the summer signings.
Wolves fans posting your boring ’sinking ship’ posts, you’re sad and pathetic, you’re like the obese, ugly sister. Why don’t you go back to your own room and concentrate on making yourself look more attractive. Jealousy will get you nowhere!!
hahahahahahahahaha lost a player to derby hahaha this gets better hahahahahahaha
Good Champ defender but no more than that!! VASTLY over-priced when we bought him and replaceable IMO. Another “ambitious” move by our Bosman-brigade ;-))
MONEY talks this is why Phillips is still to sign.
Players will come players will go it is all about Money.
Anyway Boing Boing
The show must go on.
Ha Ha HA HA HA HA Ha Ha Ha
Shut up Wolves fans and keep buying players from the mighty Derby or Leicester.
If Mowbray rated him we would of offerd him more. He left because he knew he wouldnt get first team football.
2, 5 - What’s all that about?
You actually took time to log on to your computer (well done with that) to have some kind of spasm over the letters A and H?!
I can’t wait til the start of the season…..you’ve got no chance of going up at the minute, If you finish top 10 I’ll be surprised.
I personally don’t agree with your first point 6.
Mowbray can only offer what Mr Peace allows him to offer no matter how much he rates him.
Your second point could be closer to the truth.
Nevermind, it gives Mowbray time to concentrate his efforts on bringing in the fresh blood you WILL need.
2.. little things please little minds!!!
our players go to Derby yet you buy players from Derby what does that say they are not good enough for Albion yet the players you buy are not good enough for Derby.
Kepp laughing I know who will get the last laugh!!and it wont be an immature boy like yourself!!
If a player can move for nowt and pocket and extra £1 million pounds in the deal then football really doesn’t come into it.
What has Albre shown to his new club other than a desire to earn money ? He can hardly say he is going for the football can he !!
If thats his attitude then good riddance - trouble is that it seems to be the attitude of more and more players - £20k a week and playing in the prem aint enough for some now - for some, money is everything !
Kev Phillips could move to Blues for a two year contract when he is already probably a millionaire - the football is secondary now - Gera was the same.
Martin is a whole hearted player, but an average defender and poor distribution when going forward, and I am afraid is not good enough for the premiership but will do a job in the championship. He was never worth the money we paid for him and it was a very poor business on our part. Good luck to him at Derby. Let us hope that we bring better quality to replace him in the squad.
I have commented earlier, Albrechtsen would have made a good buy for The Wulfies. Why they deem it funny I can’t begin to imagine, we’ve lost a ‘maybe player’ for the Prem, they’ve failed to buy an ESSENTIAL player for the Championship. If I were in their shoes, I’d be sobbing my heart out! There again, maybe I’m crediting Finchy and Arny with having sense where clearly they have only spite!
Boing Boing
Dont waste your time even attempting to reason with people that type ha ha repeatedly, i suspect they`re not really ready to embrace genuine debate.
Darby End Wolf
its a good point and pretty much what i would have said myself, i’ll continue to ignore neanderthal posts such as the other wolves boo boys are plaguing us with.
With Gera, Alby and possibly Phillips now it seems there is going to be quite a revolution on our hands this transfer window and i await it with great anticipation….as long as we don’t sign Ameobi!! *shudders*
13
yeah, we get reasoned debate from the likes of terry, worcs baggy baggy 1 pld, who all visit the wolves page and offer genuine and structured coments !!!!
“Solid Rock on which promotion was built” erm… must have been a different player to the one i have been wacthing for four years.
Admittedly quick, but lightweight, error prone and no use whatsoever defending set pieces.
The season DVD highlights how many goals were errors due to this player.
He didn’t play after Wembly, which co incided with our best run of form.
No loss at all. Derby are clearly mugs, Ellington and now Albrectson.
Great news, TM didn`t rate him or Cesar, both successsfully shown the door and off the wage bill.
There will be 7 or maybe more new signings. Some we will have heard of and will excite us, others we won`t and will excite us even more when we see them play.
Wolves must be jealous because whilst we get rid of our dead wood and move on they are stuck with theirs (eastwood, elliot, gibson, jarvis, collins, edwards, ward etc..etc,,) because noone wants them.
Would actually love to see them join us in the prem for a black country derby in the top flight but sadly with MM in charge they will finish behind Palace, Bristol, Derby, Blues, Reading, Sheff u, QPR, Southampton, Watford, Plymouth, Burnley and from what I saw of them in the play off final, Doncaster too.
Bad time to be a wolf, especially with albion entertaining the British public with our sumptious, sexy football.
Happy I agree with everything you’ve said but to be honest I don’t blame players for making as much money as possible. If clubs like Manchester United are struggling to hold onto the likes of Ronaldo what chance have the rest of us got?. I would like to wish Martin all the best as I feel overall he has been a good player for us. All that being said I won’t lie awake at night worrying about it. We had all this last summer with players going and replaced them with better ones so all the Wolves fans on here crowing I would have thought by now they would know to keep their mouths shut. We will see a flurry of players arriving soon as we did last season. I’d be a liar if I didn’t have a little bit of a nagging doubt about our transfer dealings but for now am going to keep the faith. Stay strong my Albion brothers and sisters we will be ok. Let the Wolves and the likes of Derby keep signing average championship players we as usual will laugh loudest in the end!
In TM we trust!
Clearly his decision to stop at the CCC level means he acknowledges his level of skill and combine that with the deal he would get makes his decision obvious, although a bit sad for someone who should be in his prime. This seems to be a lack of ambition and is not the attitude we shall need in the Prem so probably the best choice for all concerned.
another player gone for the money
a good ccc player but struggled last time in premiership
good news for albion we can now go and sign a quality replacement.
i remember the dingles coming on here last season
when koumas,kamara and mcshane went
and we still won the league
or have forgotten that already
boing boing
This is a good move for everybody. Albrechtsen came with great promise(and a decent transfer fee) that was never really fulfilled. He was inconsistent at Championship level and is definately not a Premiership player.
At best he is a squad player for the Albion at the moment and i’m sure the contract is was offered reflected this.
You can’t blame him for going to Derby and the Albion can now pursue a replacement that is younger, more hungry and suited towards the Premiership.
Good news all round.
Hello friends!
I see there are more ‘outs’ and still no ‘ins’
Oh well, I’m sure there is a big signing or two round the corner.
Thought you might be after some of our star players, but perhaps you are struggling for money until someone buys you.
Always a good time to put a club up for sale, just before the start of the premier league season. Worked wonders for us, as you will know doubt remember!
Do you think your season will be a relegation fight or an embarrassing whimper?
I know what I think!
Good luck chaps.
Yes I do find it funny but deep down wish we`d got him, as has been pointed out he is a good cc player but not good enough for a prem team.
Can`t help thinking MM will fail again, if we had TM on the other hand I would be very optimistic.
What this clear out actually means is that you lot are going to have a big influx of players in the next few weeks. Very jealous
It is a definate now that new defenders will arrive, so releasing Albrec could be viewed as good news.
For me I would release Philips too. He struggled at Villa at this level and he has done a job for you already, now its time to use a younger front two to challenge the pace of the Premiership defenders and with Miller and Moore you can build from here.
Maybe selling Curtis Davis was a hasty sale?
Either way, there is no need to panic…just yet.
10.For once I agree with you Happy.What’s it all coming to these days?
What’s this ‘all about the money’ rubbish. Mowbray obviously doesn’t rate him that highly and the Baggies didn’t make much of an effort to keep him. He knew he wasn’t guaranteed first team football and he’s back at Championship where he’ll do a good job. I don’t think Baggie fans would have been overly excited if we’d still got Cesar and Alby next season. Let’s hope we can get some quality defenders in to replace them.
22. WOLVES 0.What star players do you have that we would be interested in?. (The ones who could only manage a top 7 finish?).
Whatever our season ends up being, it will still end up being a premiership one.
Don’t worry your poor little self with our lack of signings, if I were you I would be more worried about the season that you are going to have. I would say you should finish in the top ten, then all your “star players” will be on the move to premiership clubs (if anyone wants them that is!). And yes, I would change your name to wolves 0 as it will be quite apt next year.
Don’t be so naughty Wolves1 (22).
You should be supportive of our midlands cousins just like myself and Black Wolf - who seems to be a baggie in Wolves clothing.
Tescos selling the club now is a big big error and one which we paid for. Our Premiership campaign must have been one of the worst prepared for ever and getting players (because of the in - decision) was really difficult.
I hope the baggies ride this out and stay up to play us in season 2009/10 but no matter what Tesco fans say - they must be getting concerned by now. Mowbary had better deliver cos when the Tesco fans turn, they turn mean.
2. Finchy-wolves
Your statement will be ringing in my ears if Derby spank you this season, as I feel they are going to along with most of the exPremiership clubs whop have come down.
If they don’t want to stay then they should go. At least they don’t hang on and on like alot of the Wolves deadwood and show no commitment week after week.
I agree No 20, they have got short memories! 20 seconds i think? “GOLD fish” good luck martin, you know a top fizy pop team is for you… He could have mooved a bit closer? but i said top team!Bring on our real DERBY!!! can walk too our old ground, not 12 miles into stafford? i’m off out anyway, doin it the coyotte way tonight????
My wife informs me that she has owned more Dutch caps than Martin has won !!
I don’t care what people say about Alby - His pace and covering runs at the back last season were priceless, especially with the slip ups made by Barnett and Caesar.
Oh and you can’t forget the goal against Wigan in the Prem - I reckon Jewell bought him just for that!
i agree with some dingle posts agreeing if people are going out then mighty better players will come in.. last season we lost kamara,koumas,davis. and we were a laughing stock.. 12 months later ( please see last seasons table for details )
HE HAS OBVIOUSLY MOVED FOR MONEY, HOWEVER BOYS IF YOU PAY PEANUTS YOU GENUINLY ON THE WHOLE GET MONKEYS, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS OF COURSE LIKE KITES, GERA, TEXEIRA ETC.
I THINK TM IS A TOP MANAGER BUT FOR JP TO KEEP ASKING TM TO FIND THESE GEMS IS A MASSIVE ASK. AND IM AFRAID IF THESE PLAYERS COME ON TO THE RADAR OF OTHER CLUBS THEY WILL GO THERE BECAUSE OF MONEY. YOU ARE AFTER A BETTER CALIBRE OF PLAYER NOW WHO ARE PROBABLY BEING TOUTED BY THERE AGENTS TO CLUBS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
I THINK JP SEES THE FACT THAT STOKE AND HULL WILL BE RELEGATED SO YOU SHOULD BEAT ONE OF THE OTHER SIDES AND STAY UP. I WOULD AGREE BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT INJURIES YOU WILL GET AND IT IS VERY RISKY!.
ALBY has done a good job for us but knows he would have been a squad player this seasonand has said his playing time would have been restricted this season.As for new sighning no need to panic not a lot happens till players return to training.The biggest joke of the has come from sky bet Tony Moybray first manager to be sacked theres more chance of wolves gaetting promotion.
34 - Redge, thanks for a sensible post.
Hull and Stoke are, in my opinion, down and we’re looking to beat Fulham, Wigan, Sunderland, Bolton to 17th or possibly better.
We need 1 x Prem class keeper, 2 x Prem class centre backs, 1 x ball winning midfielder and 1 x top centre forward to push on and make sure we finish above 17th
I’d go for Marcus Hannemann; Ibrahim Sonko; Roger Johnson; Kevin Thompson and James McFadden / Dave Kitson
NEDBALL - A AGREE WITH YOUR STATEMENT, AND YOU SHOULD DO OK WITHIN YOUR MINI LEAGUE, BUT LIKE WOLVES FRUSTRATE ME BECAUSE I CAN SEE THE POTENTIAL OF THE CLUB I CAN ASLO SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION. I THINK YOU COULD HAVE BEEN THE SURPRISE PACKAGE THIS YEAR AND YOU MIGHT STILL BE BUT I SEE NO REASON WHY YOU COULDNT WITH A BIT OF EXTRA SUPPORT TO TM. READING HAVENT SPENT MUCH AND DID VERY WELL IN THEIR FIRST SEASON BUT LIKE IPSWICH A FEW YEARS AGO IT WASNT SUSTAINABLE. I THINK YOU SHOULD STRENGHEN NOW WHILST YOU ARE STRONG.
36, Nedball, agree with what you say but think you really need two top class strikers. your good midfielders will create but chances must be taken in the premiership. If you have to break the bank to get them it will in my humble opinion pay you to do so. Good luck, Baggies.
Derby are a much bigger club than the albion simple as that, yes you are in a better league, but they are massive compared to you
another player gone,u may well be worse than derby next season, and stoke!!lol xxx
Here’s a fact: Albion won the second tier with the lowest points total in modern times. FACT.
Here’s another: 2 of your better players have left and you’ve only brought in 2 who were already there. FACT.
Based on this, how on earth do you lot think you will survive, let alone manage mid-table which a number of predicting?
Do you all share the same brain cell?
27, you will be down next year then you will be quiet.
me thinks derby are going to tek some stopping next season there buying experience, dingles only buying kids,im glad weem out of there aye boing boing in the prem the MOWBURY WAY
Billy wright, seeing as you like your facts how about these;
McCarthy is a has been journey man manager whose record is second best.
Under him you play long ball ugly football and will struggle against most of the division next year just like you did last year.
You are losing your one good player because he put a clause in his contract to say he wanted out if McCarthy failed to gain promotion, (pretty astute of him).
As they say down south it looks like youre fact mate!
41
2 of your better players, blah blah FACT.
Just because you type fact in big letters, dont make it so.
The merits of any player are based on opinion,
yours is that Gera and Albrecthsen were two of Albions better players, good luck finding a Baggies fan who shares your opinion.
Therefore it`s not a FACT.
I do hope i have explained the difference in a way you can comprehend.
Billy Wright, do us a favour mate for the sake of all us wolves fans don`t show so much jealousy it only flatters them.
Anyway fact is they probably will survive because they have a football playing genius of a manager and we have the muppet.
41,billy,fact we where CHAMPIONS and yow day mek the play off nor will ya this season fact AYE BOING BOING IN THE PREM THE MOWBURY WAY
42,mic, you best hope we stay up or else we shall be comin to the custard bowl agen to give you another footballing leasson aye boing boing FACT
whats all the fuss on alby going,,,hand on heart this was always going to happen as much as i like alby he aint no big shakes in the prem,we need better and in the next week or so mowbray will be bringing in the better players we need and all you dingles will be dribbling at the mouth just like last year,,,baggies on the up…enjoy your big day out in doncaster…..PLAYING IN THE PREM THE MOWBRAY WAY,,,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,,OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH YES.
43 not for long Terry the thicko, reckon you’ll soon be back in the fizzy pop league yet again.
17:
Jarvis…deadwood?…get your facts right mate. You would kill for Jarvis & Kites on your flanks!
Found this on another site so cut and pasted it…..
West Brom are close to sealing a deal for defender Gianni Zuiverloon after Heerenveen agreed to sell the highly-rated defender.
The Dutch club have confirmed on their official website that Zuiverloon is heading to the Premier League new boys.
Zuiverloon is expected to sign a three-year contract at the Hawthorns, with the option of a further 12 months.
Reports in Holland suggest the fee for the 21-year-old, who was under contract at Heerenveen until 2010, is in the region of £3.2million.
The youngster has been a regular in the Heerenveen side for the past two seasons after starting his career at Feyenoord.
He has been included in Holland’s squad for the Olympic Games in Beijing in August and was part of the team which won the European Under 21 Championship last summer.
Zuiverloon is due to arrive at West Brom on Wednesday and will replace Martin Albrechtsen, who has joined Derby County.
39… Yawn!!!!!!!!
41.. If we did that would still be one more brain cell than your good self!!
looks like we are about to sign dutch under21 defender gianni zuiverloon from heerenveen for £3.3 million,,,another mowbray gem on the way…PLAYIN IN THE PREM THE MOWBRAY WAY,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOOH YES..
And this is why he’s gone……..
Heerenveen have confirmed West Brom’s capture of defender Gianni Zuiverloon on a three-year contract.
According to Heerenveen’s official website, Tony Mowbray has completed a deal worth a reported €4 million (£3.18 million).
The 21-year-old is perhaps best known in England for scoring the winning penalty in the mammoth 32-kick penalty shoot-out between Holland and England’s Under-21 sides back in 2007.
Highly rated in De Eredivisie, Zuiverloon was handed his debut by Ruud Gullit at Feyenoord.
Another young starlet at the mighty albion… bit better than the muppet wolves had on free from leicester… also why did wolves not go for alby???? Obviously not good enough for us but would be first name on dingles sheet!!!!
2-5 You both look stupid now for those idiotic posts….
ha ha yawn yawn….
41. IT’S JULY 2ND….. Hello earth to idiot…..
We kick off Aug 17th…… 6 Weeks this saturday…. Hello anybody there…
YOU MUG.
Gianni, Gianni, Gianni….
YOU BEAUTY
U21 Dutch master, technically gifted and lightening fast - get in there TM, you`ve done it again!!!!!!
GEE-ARN-EEE ZOO-VER-LOOON
GEE-ARN-VEE ZOO-VER-LOOON
GEE-ARN-VEE ZOO-VER-LOOON
GEE-ARN-VEE ZOO-VER-LOOON
GET IN THERE ANOTHER TOP QUALITY PLAYER,,,LOVIN IT LOVIN IT LOVIN IT….
YOU LOVIN IT TERRY……………
MOWBRAY BRINGING IN THE QUALITY,,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOOOOH YES.
Why don’t you lot get sponsored by any fishing company because you got a lot in common. Your both concerned with things going into your net.
GEE-ARN-EEE
ZOO-VER-LOOON
GEE-ARN-EEE
ZOO-VER-LOOON
GEE-ARN-EEE
ZOO-VER-LOOON
GET IN THERE,BAGGIES GO DUTCH WITH SUPA QUALITY PLAYER,,,ALBY WHO?…….LOVIN IT…
SIGNING SUPA GEMS THE MOWBRAY WAY,,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOOOOH YES..
59. That’s brilliant give your-self a gold star you twonk.
Mid table in prem here we come…. for now then UEFA cup football again….