Albion were today stepping up their efforts to land international full-back Marek Cech as Tony Mowbray’s squad began their pre-season tour.
The Baggies’ current squad hit the training pitch in the Netherlands for an early morning session as they began their eight-day stay in Venlo.
But there was equally intriguing action back in the Black Country, where Baggies officials are reportedly in talks with the agent of Slovakian star Cech about a move to The Hawthorns.
Reports in Portugal, where 25-year-old Cech currently plays for Porto, claim his agent Juraj Venglos flew into the Midlands on Saturday to hold talks with the Baggies over a move.
Cech is expected to leave Porto this summer with the Premier League his preferred destination and Albion are keen to add genuine competition for Paul Robinson, whose own future is the subject of some discussion with contract talks ongoing.
Venglos refused to name interested clubs, but he admitted news was close on his client’s future.
He said: “Marek’s future must be resolved soon.
“Clubs have been keen but some lost interest because there were long periods of uncertainty. But there is still interest from one or two clubs.
“Porto will want a decision sometime soon and it would be in Marek’s best interest if that was the case.”
Mowbray’s focus today was on the start of the week-long trip to Europe, with his team splitting their time between training in Venlo and playing two matches just over the German border against Borussia Moench-engladbach and Cologne.
“We’re here first and foremost to continue our fitness work,” said Mowbray. “We’ll also start working on the team – things like pattern of play and team shape.
“It’s good for the players to have a change of environment to work hard in, rather than continually working at the same training ground they use all season.”
“The two games will really just be part of the players’ training, but we’ll be playing two good sides. Like ourselves, they’ve both been promoted to their top flights.”
48 Comments
Apparently a useful utility player as he can play in a number of positions. Other than that i know nothing about, i know we have been linked to him before.
Looks like end of road for robbo…
We’ve offered 1.5 million plus robbo for meita from bolton!!
Oh well, in TM we trust…
Shame this has come out in the press and we couldn’t sneak him in under the radar like we did Zuiverloon. It may make other clubs aware that weren’t previously and then the agent starts the wages bidding war. Hopefully we can still get our man without being forced to pay over the odds.
Sort it out quick before we lose him JP!!!
According to reports he seems to be a tough tackling yet skillfull 6ft left back who also plays left midfield, so fitting right into the ToMo mould for an attacking left back with bite! Also has plenty of international and european experience. I’d also like to see Lee Baker brought into the squad this season to continue his development.
Marek Cech is 6 ft tall, 24 years old and has 13 full caps for slovakia. looks quick and skillful. can play left back or left midfield and gets the odd goal. Stiff competition for Robbo I think.Not sore about the bolton deal. Seems unlike us to name a player as a makeweight as ,if it doesn’t happen, you have sent a message to the player that he is not wanted. Not the Mowbray way !
2 things robinson is too wayward for prem,and i wish kp all the best at blues but he should keep his mouth shut and accept he went for the money not the playing in the premier league which was apparently close to his heart!!!
bit of a shocker robbo being linked to a move to bolton.
maybe now his mate kp has gone he wants out as well ????
I expect Robinson to leave now that his beloved friend KP left! no Robinson less red cards.
Sort of player you need. Champions League experience, decent age, could be a good signing.
no.7 yes because no one wants to play for you your in the prem how many players you brought?
wolves in championship an we have players that want to come to us vokes,sterman,jones an kightly who wants to play for us.your going down enjoy it while it last.
BarmyArmy
At last the light shines through. Robbo full of fight and endeavour but a very limited fullback. Gives away to many silly free kicks and is undisciplined. Get him out and a defender in who can actually defend. I agree about Super Kev. He maintains that he has made the right decision so why does he continue to bleat about Albion not rating him. Once he reached 30 even Dennis Bergkamp was on 1 year deals at Arsenal and good as KMP is he ain’t a Bergkamp.
Please don’t turn into the Dingles and start slating Robbo cos we’re linked with a new left back.
I love Robbo, it might be 90% down to the chest beating, but I’ve seen him put 100% in so many times, plus have some outstanding displays as well (Wolves away last season as a prime example). He might be rash at times, (understatement of the day) give away stupid free kicks and pick up pointless yellow / red cards, but I am officially a member of the Paul Robinson fan club.
BUT, if this Marek Cech is a better player, then we’d be stupid not to take him wouldn’t we? We are looking to improve our team and chances of staying up after all aren’t we?!
Now, now boys, just remember these rubbish players were playing for Brazil last season!
no 10 yes you are getting players in that no wants in the prem i should keep quiet if i were you
Northbonk - Yes players want to come to you, but only because their team has been relegated to League One, they’re from a lower league team or they’re playing for Grays. We’re fishing in a bigger pond with bigger fish now so it’s going to take more than a pie and a pint to tempt them.
We’ve ‘lost’ three players that were out of contract. One has gone to a team of roughly equaly stature (Fulham) and the other two have dropped down to a lower division. You have to question whether they are a as big a loss to the team as is being touted if we want to stay up.
If you want to continually improve, then eventually what is your current star player will become surplus to requirements and get sold off. It’s called ‘evolution’
Nedball.
Common sense as usual. I’m also in the pro Robbo camp. If he moves on fine but he’s been brilliant for us, always committed and brave as a lion. We may get a better footballing left back but Robbo is one of those characters that I will miss tremendously. To quote Joni ‘don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone.’
PS 10 NBBA.
Are you Michael’s twin or are you triplets with Kevin Turvey making up the triumvirate.
To me this indicates TM has very clear thinking about life in the premiership. He’s not letting emotion rule his head, deep down I think he felt KP was too old to have a great impact in the premiership, has identified right back for strengthening despite some quality performances from Hoefkens and now is unafraid to consider improving left back where Robinson has been solid, he knows the additional pace/threat of premiership attacks will make robbo liable to red/yellow cards. Much to do before the KO, I’d like to see another GK, some steel added to midfield, a no nonense quality centre-half and a goal scorer added in the coming weeks.
10. we could have signed any of the players Wolves have attracted but they’re not good enough, could you hand on heart say vice-versa?
No. 10, why don’t you study an English GSCE or Asdan, then you might be able to write a coherent sentence.
number 10 have you been watching jeremy kyle again
10. Northbank Completely Barmy. Yes, you are in the chumpionship & you are attracting mid table finish chumpionship type players.
We won’t be held to ransom by players who think that they are bigger than our club & if they don’t like the terms that they are offered it’s their choice to move. TM will replace these players with better ones, look at last pre season, our top goalscorer left along with our captain centre half & a top championship attacking midfielder. What happened next?. We won the CCC & were top goalscorers. Enjoy your season in the chumpionship, I have just heard that you have signed another top player, Chris Iwelumo. You aint half going to get a stiff neck next year at the custard bowl - hammer it up front in the Watford style, of course, oh yesssss……
Albion fans, looks like this may be another good signing for you.
HOWEVER! In my opinion, you still lack real grit in your squad. I hated Paul Robinson with a passion, no hang on, I hate Paul Robinson with a passion, but he brings to your squad that battling quality that you need to survive in the Premier League.
Obviously technically gifted players are great to watch and score the goals, but you need someone to stop them going in too. You cannot do what you did last year and try and outscore people, otherwise you will be coming straight back down.
This guy you’re after may have something about him, but you have to be careful not to sign too pansy skillful pansies! That said, I’d avoid Olofinjana at all costs!
looks like scott carson is going to stoke because you wouldnt pay the 4m price tag.
Hi there 18 Chorley, I’m doing some DIY, any chance I can borrow your hammer?… It seems to hit the nail right on the head! Robinson has been a great servant to the club and given his all, but if he wants to move on like Kev, and ToMo has lined up his replacement, so be it. Evolution not Revolution! However I would have no problem with Robbo staying to create extra competition if his heart is still here. In ToMo we trust!
cracking signing for the dingles looks a big unit willing to put in shift for MM,got no pace,seen milk turn quicker.talkabout being predicable “lets lump it to the big fella up front and see what happens” type of football.how times have changed at the mollypoo gotto stop writing now getting dizzy,sides splitting.can pcture mm press conference “we were robbed, never out played,they just put in abetter shift ……
Stop getting all worked up because one wolves fan is having a pop.
Seriously…
Hi Bully, I haven’t heard about kevin Turvey for such a long time. How is Teresa Kelly?
23. Brockmoor, Where did you hear that? The reports I’ve read all state that both us and Stoke have agreed a fee with Liverpool. apparently he’s meeting with Stoke first, which has given them hope, but is reported to favour a move to The Baggies as he feels we have a better chance of survival in the premier league.
Could be a good signing, international experience always useful. You lot have always had a decent track record of finding decent european players that can hold their own in the English league, particularly dutch players. Mowbray seems to be getting decent value for money at the right age. I wouldn’t read too much into Mowbary wanting to unload Robinson until you hear him actually say it.
28. Where did you read/hear that about Carson. I saw that Stoke was his first choice as he didn’t have to move home. Stoke seemingly have a large financial backing now too, so it wouldn’t surprise me to hear that Stoke is his destination of choice.
you can see this guy MAREK CECH on you tube,he looks good,move out the way robbo,by the way he has his own web site where baggie fans can leave him a message to come to the hawthorns
fans of napoli want him more than us me thinks,come on lads show him that we want him at west brom,BOING BOING!
Hilarious, Wolves fans knocking Albion transfers when they’ve just signed Chris Iwelumo!
I’m not sure about Carson, might be a blessing if he goes to Stoke. He isn’t worth 4 million either.
28. looks like he prefers Stoke then hes signed today.
nobody wants to go to sandwell town.
10- Chris Iwelumo is past it
Looks good could be consulting Igor Balis b4 he moves to here looks like a good signing in my view
COME ON YOU BAGGIES!
It’s nice to see so many dingles still very interested in what’s happening at the Hawthorns.I bet they can’t wait for electricity to be installed in wulferhampton before next month so they can watch the Baggies every week on Sky.Might even get colour pictures if they buy a new set at Aldi.
Dingles can’t whoop Wrexham with all these new and up and coming signings ?
MM best get it sorted or you will make the top six, of division 1 next season !
I would have said how the mighty have fallen, but you have not been mighty for years.
If he comes he comes. PR has the grit and fight, but can get cards too easily for my liking. I like defenders with grit and fight who don’t show it in the face, as if that is what they do day in day out.
IT’S BOSTIN BEING A BAGGIE !!!
27 Malvern.
She’s married to Michael and they’re living happily together in Redditch. At least he is.
Looks like Dale Winton!!
I was talking to a relative at the weekend who is a headteacher in the hell hole that is Sandwell town. She was bemoaning that fact that there isnt a single Book shop in the borough of Sandwell!!
Which Footballer and WAG would want thier offspring raised in such squalor?
And you call us lot dingles!
“Not a book shop in Sandwell, Not a book shop in Sandwell!”
40.
It’s ‘their’ not ‘thier’.
Not many bookshops (one word) where you live by the look of it.
When the chips are down you need players like Robbo. Players who will stand up and ….foul.
40. No bookshops in Sandwell? Yeah right. There’s no such word as ‘gullible’ either.
There is an Albion shop in the Merryhill Centre though. There used to be a Wolves one but it closed due to lack of interest.
I haven’t seen the Albion ’shop’ as you call it, oh sorry maybe I have is it right next to Poundland and the bus station in the right tatty end?
Check Yell.com- Not a bookshop (for you Richy who cant even punctuate his own name correctly!) In the whole of Sandwell town!!! Ha Ha!!
44. Hell Wulfo. Are you Melvyn Bragg in disguise?. What’s with the book fetish?. You are correct about the location of the Albion shop, no doubt you have had your jealous little dingle nose pressed up against the window looking at the premiership merchandise. Ha Ha.
44 El Wolfo.
Well done. You’ve achieved the impossible. You’ve made LW and Michael appear mature.
Don’t knock Poundland, I was in there last year, bought a set of players, 4 football stands and a pitch all for a £10.
It’s not easy finding a bookshop in wulferhampton-but you can find a load of old comics at the custard bowl.