Albion expect a final answer from striker Kevin Phillips “within 48 hours” as the last season’s top scorer heads for talks with Birmingham.
Phillips, who was nowhere to be seen when Tony Mowbray’s squad reported back for training, is expected to opt for a switch to St Andrews after a summer-long wrangle over his future.
He spoke at length with Mowbray yesterday and the Baggies boss insisted today that there was nothing conclusive in those discussions about Phillips’s next port of call.
He said: “Kevin wants to get things sorted out because, being the kind of lad he is, he doesn’t want to miss training, he wants to start getting fit.
“I think we will see an answer in the next 48 hours but, beyond that, I do not think it proper that I say anymore until we know what the decision is.”
The link with Birmingham is strengthening all the time, with the 34-year-old hero of last season’s Championship winning triumph due for key talks.
Phillips has been chasing one final big contract to finish his celebrated career.
His 24 goals from 30 Championship starts last season have attracted a spread of promotion-hungry Championship clubs.
Derby are next in line but it is the Blues, ready to meet Phillips’ wage demands and located on his doorstep, who are in pole position.
Albion are offering the man hailed as “SuperKev” by supporters a two year deal - but the terms of the second year would be heavily influenced by Phillips’ performance this season.
As the Baggies welcomed the first new face for the squad, £3.2m defender Gianni Zuiverloon, the manager hinted at other deals on the horizon - whatever happens.
He said: “We have irons in the fire as we have had all summer really and hopefully other players will be following.
“If that takes another 40 days then so be it – we can’t get them all in this weekend.
“We are ticking along on a few at the moment and we will wait and see if they are fruitful.”
39 Comments
Like all baggies fans, i love KP for what he has done for us these last two seaons - but this on-going saga of touting him around clubs has left a bitter taste in the mouth.
I still hope he may stay, but imo he has tarnished his Superkev title slightly with his conduct this close season.
i bet superbob would not have hawked himself about quite like this….
hurry up n go kev before you lose the fans respect hope the 48 hours aint as long as freddies aye boing boing
I think he should go. He has done brilliant for us but I don’t think he can cut it in the Prem again. It does leave a bit of a sour tast in your mouth but I am sure we will be OK without him. He should have another good season in him for the Chumpionship.
Give him a break. His goals have got us where we are now and if he can secure his future with a 2 year deal then good luck and thanks for a great time with the baggies. TM obviously looking forward in signing young players and gettting this new fitness coach in. Good luck Kev !!!!
With everything that has gone on with KP over this summer, I think the chances of seeing him in an Albion kit look very slim now.
They mention one last payout as a reason but surely as he is officially a free agent, would we not be offering him a tasty signing on fee aswell ?
If he doesnt sign I will be disappointed but again, KP is another who has put us where we are today and after the Zuiverloon signing, I anticipate signings coming in that will give us all a new Baggies hero
How exciting is it getting now though??
I suppose you can’t blame him for trying to get the best deal he can, we would all probably do the same. If he goes I wish him luck, if he stays I think his effect on the pitch will be reduced but his experience will still be very useful and a good influence on players like Miller and Brunt.
If Kevin goes to Blues he obviously feels that HE is no longer good/fit enough for the premiership. Both himself and his wife are multi millionaires so I feel money is not the issue as for a 35 year old the contract that Albion have offered is very good. Its purely football, at Blues the standard will be lower and the games he will play higher. I for one would like to remember Kevin as he is now a Albion goalscoring hero , not as a player out of his depth in the premiership sitting on the bench or in the reserves robbing us of £20000 a week for the next 2 years.
Super kev, you know it don`t you mate. You`d love one more crack at the Prem but can youre body do it? also you`ll no longer be 1st name on the teamsheet, more likely 1st name on the bench. If you can`t hack all that then stay in the Championship, if you can handle it all then sign quick and stop messing everyone around.
Just wanted to agree with your comments about Andy Murray happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And Super kev please dont stay in the championship.
I love Kevin Philips. I will always love him for the goal he scored against Wolves. I would love to be him, if not go for a drink with him!
cheers redge - the po faced little twerp got what he deserved - his comments were both racist and unnecessary and to see him crash out made my day.
Adam - two word for you… restraining order !
Whatever happens KP I think your great, good luck mate. Hope you stay though but if you leave and ever come back to the Hawthorns I will give you the respect you deserve.
Boing Boing
I want Phillips to stay, i think he would still score goals in the prem and before i hear the he was rubbish for Villa comments, just remember Villa were rubbish at the time and he was being partnered by Angel!!!
What i would hate to see happen is Kev go to Blues and get a rough ride due to his Albion and Villa connections, they will offer him little in the way of support or sympathy when he hits a dry patch. The fact he has spoken to Mobs yesterday makes me feel like he will stay, i dont know why i just do.
Oh and the 48hr thing, read the article again, Mobs THINKS he will make his mind up in the next 48hrs, we will see.
Like i’ve said before, kev will do whats best for him! We as fans should respect his choise! Also, he aint goin staffordshire? BRING ON OUR REAL DERBY!!! I dont like them we gave their ground too? i’m off out now, doin it the coyotte way tonight…
well its bin a while since i last posted on here, i’m a regular viewer of the articles and posts but keep my sensible if sparodic opinions quiet.
1. if superkev does finally take an ambitious u-turn then we all agree that he has been fantastic for us and we all wish him well, will we really miss him? last january we signed dorrans and in feb luke moore, both have bundles of potential if we get behind them. i think we need raw talent and dare i say a bit of naivety, we might loose 3,4 or 5 on the spin next year, but on the flip side i think we are capable of wininng a couple on the spin and really believe we’ll stay up. new signing looks great, finally showing we mean business, with all respect its better than the steve watsons, darren moores, kevin campbells we used to try and get.
also: apparentry carlsburg want to be our sponser, if calsburgs did football teams it’d probably be the best in the world… yep!!!!
*with all respect the players like watson moore and campbell that we did have…
Looks like hes going to Blues. A little bird saw Kev working on his new £2,000,000 mansion in Borough Lane just off the A51 near Longdon last week. Maybe hes having to do a little grafting? If he does go to Blues them he will have played for all of the Brummie teams!!!!!
KP is simply a legend and will go down as one of the best strikers we have EVER had!! Lets all remember what he has done over the past 2 years, he has helped us play more of an expansive game with his movement and finishing prowess at that level!
If he does go to Blues then I wish him all the best and hopes he puts a few more past those dingle idiots! The guy is a LEGEND
Happy
There is and will only ever be 1 SUPERBOB
I feel the club has been correct in there stance on Kev, i am unsure he will cut it in the prem now(isn’t that the reason we got him). Lets thanks him for what he did and wish him well. Sure he will be good for blues
if kevin phillips ops for the championship its a clear signal he hasnt got the legs for the premier league .
i for one wont blame jp we dont wont somone coming of the bench for the last 15 mins at mega bucks per week plus hes not giong to score 20 goals either at his age.
It aint done and dusted yet. Really hope he stays though it’s not looking likely. Blues are taking a chance on a 2 year contract, and it could fall flat for them. I’m sure he would score goals for Mowbray if he stays fit, even in the prem, as his teams will create chances and Phillips is class. Not so sure he will reproduce at Brum, suppose it depends on what style of football they play. Stay with us Kev and have a final prem fling.
as like yesterdays news ill say i hope he stays but if he goes its GOOD LUCK AND SCORE AGAINST THE DINGLES
SUPERBOB WAS GOD
SUPERKEV WAS A LEGEND
Give KP a break you can’t blame the bloke for trying to secure a 2nd season to his contract. He knows TM’s position on this and has been approached by others not the other way around. Really I think he would only play a small role in the Prem especially if we sign our portuguese target in the next few weeks! Good luck KP whatever you decide..Bring on Arsenal…before they catch their stride!
23 - Portugese target??
Why does everyone keep saying he won’t cut it in the Prem as this is getting on my nerves. He finished our top scorer last season and missed 8 weeks with injury. Don’t you think the people who are posting these comments are being disrespectfull to a great and clever striker?. Have you all gone mad?, if I had to have a bet on Miller vs Phillips in the prem to score the most goals I know who my money whould be on, purely on finishing ability he his head and shoulders he creates his own space and hits the target time after time plus his positional sense is out of this world. It’s not luck that he is always johnny on the spot. I hope he stays no sour grapes if he goes the guy is pure class!.
Boing Boing
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE WEST BROM!!! Don’t let Kev go, you at least owe him 2 years for what he’s done for us! I’d hate to think @ 34 your too old!! I bet Hull have no problems with a “near” 40 year old Windass playing!!
Kevin Phillips legend? In a way, yes I love the guy for what he has achieved for us.
I have been going to the Albion since the early 60’s and have seen them all. Derek Kevan, Jeff Astle my personal favourite, Cyrille Regis, Laurie Cunningham, Superbob, but the biggest LEGEND of them all is still at the Albion week in, week out, TONY BROWN!! A true Albion legend! How many players today would or could spend 20 years playing at the top level for one club.
We have the Astle gates, it is scandalous that we have not honoured “Bomber”, in similar vein.
I hate to say this but do we have to wait until his passing?
Let’s honour Tony now, and give him another testimonial, remember, he was not earning the type of money mediocore players recieve today.
KP has been at blues a fair few hours today read into that what you will.
25k per week at blues 2 year contract plus a nice little signing on fee.
27… could not agree more the sooner our club see’s that we the paying fans want . no demand a true mark of respect for Bomber the the better (and no I dont mean you wbabomber I mean the real bomber lol)
oh yes now dont panic when I say this
have a guess who was training with the playes today……
JAMIE CLAPHAM!!!!!!!!
Dont panic Mr Mannering he is just there to keep his fitnes up he is 100% not joining Albion!!!!
Great comments Romsley, i 100% agree with your views.
Although, unlike Bomber, i do believe we have seen the last of KP in a Baggies shirt, the fact he has not joined the rest of the squad for pre season speaks volumes.
22 Get it right super bob is a god and always will be to albion fans not was a god…..
31. VERY PICKY..
SUPERBOB WILL ALLWAYS BE GOD IN MY EYES IT WAS JUST THEY WAY I WROTE IT
I respect kp but god? legend? sorry but has only been with us two years… he was paid good money to score those goals and it is his job… don’t get me wrong he is class and i hope we keep him but please there is only 1 god… R.I.P… do i need say anymore???
A legend is a story, that is probably about someone that did exist but has been twisted to seem more interesting and fascinating.
Not bad but not 300 goals.
Oh and of course no goals for england or ever played in a world cup.
Thankyou very much.
How can you be so complacent. you ought to be going on strike, forming marches through the city, demanding that KP is given an ASBO which stops him going anywhere other than Tesco city. Some of you should be demanding action from the European parliament. You MUST keep him in the premiership.
Understand that KP in the Championship is in direct contravention of the Wolves human rights - our right not to have to play against KP is enshrined in World law.
keep him. Do whateveris needed. WE DONT WANT HIM IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP
And exactly who will score for you next season?
Without Phillips you’ll just be keeping your premiership place warm for us in season 2009/10.
i have to disagree with my fellow wolves fan,he sounds like another eastwood to me,and at the end of the day,why should baggies fans want him there when hes starting to get on everybodys nerves!!wanting more money etc…
I watched the End of Season DVD last night. KP and Gera were instrumental in at least 80% of our goals. I think Gera is replacable but we’re making a big mistake letting KP go. It doesn’t matter that he’s 34, because he’s always in the right place at the right time. Let people underestimate him because of his age, that just allows him to get into position, unmarked ready for the strike that he always seems to magic up from nowhere.
I’d like to bet anyone that KP scores at least double the goals that Luke More scores next year………any takers?
Let’s face it, we’re in a different era now. The club has no loyalty to players and vice versa. The only loyalty is from fans, hopefully it will endure through these money mad times and we will still be here when the greed merchants and nouveau prem league supporters have moved on to the next fad.
Every player has his value to a club. KP may be worth a lot more to a CCC club than to a prem club, note that of all the interest, none has been registered by prem clubs. Like most other Albion fans I’d love Kev to stay but every player has his price.