Albion manager Tony Mowbray today hinted that Zoltan Gera’s replacement may already be at The Hawthorns.
The Baggies boss says James Morrison, Kim Do-Heon and Filipe Teixeira are all candidates to fill the boots of Gera, who departed for Fulham on a free transfer this summer.
Mowbray is chasing new signings ahead of the Premier League season but he reckons he may not need a direct replacement for the Hungarian winger.
“It doesn’t have to be the same type of player,” said Mowbray. “That player might be at the football club already.
“Morrison might play there. Zoltan didn’t play there week in, week out and we have got footballers and other players in mind who can come in and allow me to utilise the squad.
“For example, Jonathan Greening, Robert Koren, James Morrison, Kim, Chris Brunt and Teixeira can play wide. If the right wide player comes along then fine but I just want to add quality to the squad to give us options.
“Koren, Greening and Morrison can play in the middle and I think we will continue to use them all in different positions.
“It’s a different league and there are going to have to be days when we need energetic, competitive players in wide areas to stop the threat of attack-minded players in the opposition.
“I just like to give myself options in that area and I think we do need to strengthen the midfield area. The numbers in that area are still a little bit light for my liking.
“And hopefully we can improve the midfield area in numbers and quality. We hope to improve all areas of the team.”
And Mowbray insisted he holds no hard feelings towards Gera despite his decision to reject Albion’s contract offer in favour of a switch to Craven Cottage.
“I wasn’t surprised Zoltan went to Fulham,” said Mowbray. “I’d like to think I had a great working relationship with Zoltan.
“He’s a lovely man and a good player for us - good luck to him. Zoltan’s gone and we have to try and bring someone else in who makes the supporters think ‘wow, we like him’.”
8 Comments
It was obvious that last season our midfield was top heavy with wide players and rather than replacing Gera it would be beneficial to add a central midfield player. James Morrison would seem to be the obvious replacement. While he doesn’t pose the same goal threat as Gera, the defensive side of his game is much more complete, probably more important for us in the Prem.
looks like peace is bieing tight fisted with his money not that youve overpaid on a few players .
good luck next season o well at least you will set one record in the prem next season .
im sure derby will thank you
Agreed that while there are several talented midfielders already in the squad, Zoltan will be very difficult to replace.
His outstanding heading ability will most certainly be missed (witness the number of goals he created last season from left wing crosses) but then just perhaps ’someone’ will emerge capable of replicating his quality!?
Still we wish we could have kept him but sadly the days when a player stayed at a club for any length of time are fast disappearing.
(Apart from Neil Clement of course)
2. oh dopey dopey. Why is it all you wulfs fans are fixated by how well we will do in the prem this year?. Could it be that you can’t face up to how your “big club” is going to do in the chumpionship?. I doubt very much that we will have a worse record than Derby, but if we do so what?. We had a successful season last year in the same division as your lot, finished top of the division, top scorers. Where were the mighy wulfs?. 7th wasn’t it?. I can’t see you finishing any higher than that this season either. Worry about your own team, we will worry about ours having to play Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool…….. how brilliant is that (and how you obviously envy it)!.
Chrissy brunt brunt brunt….
I really liked Gera - especially going forward, but when he dropped back he proved to be a nightmare. Four goals were let in as a result of his defending, so let’s not rubbish the guy now he’s gone, but at the same time be honest in our appraisal of his abilities.
MAREK CECH - SLOVAKIAN LEFT BACK
Supposedly landed in Birmingham Airport to sign a 3 year deal after a medical at the Shrine……that’s what I’ve read any way!!
Message to Shadrag, I put Carl Hoefkens into the site search looking for his ‘quote’ and surprisingly enough, no joy!! However, I invested 25p in a gambler on Saturday and won £10 quid, according to my calculations (I’m no economic genius though unlike yourself though I’m afraid) mean I earned myself a 4000% return on my money……I’m catching you up!!
Don’t know anything about Cech. Come in Bomber or the other European followers, give us a clue. Is Meite a possibility or just another newspaper filler? Thank God it looks as though Bent is going to Cardiff. Not sure what to think of Carson, still very young in goalkeeper terms, that’s if he’d come to us or Stoke my guess is he’ll stay at Liverpool. Any other rumours going the rounds?