Tony Mowbray today challenged Albion to shake off their underdogs tag as they began final preparations for the Premier League.
The Baggies boss is desperate to avoid the Baggies being cast as minnows when they embark on a top flight season that starts at Arsenal on Saturday.
And Mowbray sounded a bullish note as his team prepare to take on the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
“We have got to earn things from our performance levels,” said Mowbray. “Otherwise all through the season the press will do the quaint story of ‘little old Albion’ going off to play Liverpool or Manchester United as lambs to the slaughter.
“It is important that we change the perception and show that that’s not the case and we are there on merit.
“We have to show we are competitive and we have every chance of winning the games we’re going into and it isn’t a question of enjoying the day.
“We have to earn that right with performances on the pitch and if that doesn’t happen this year we will get portrayed as a little club just enjoying their season in the Premiership but getting back to reality next year.
“We have to try to change that and I think attitudes can change it.
“We’ve got to feel like we deserve to be there and in every single minute of every game the supporters, the players and everyone else involved with the club have to make sure that they aren’t just ‘little old Albion’ enjoying the season.”
And Mowbray sounded a no-fear message ahead of Saturday’s 12.45pm curtain-raiser.
“We’ve earned right to play in this division,” said Mowbray. “We want to be as competitive as we can.
“We are under no illusions about the task. Arsenal might have lost one or two games over the last year or so but I don’t think they’ve lost any at the Emirates.
“It’s a difficult game for us but we won’t show any fear.We will go into it as positive as we can.”
* Albion will face Hartlepool away in the second round of the Carling Cup in the week starting August 25.
46 Comments
The funniest thing you have ever said Mr Mowbray!
it isn’t a question of enjoying the day
i love it, this man is a machine!
chances of a draw on Saturday?
Give him a cigar and a bowler hat:
‘We will fight them on the beaches!’ ha ha!
I love Mogga, I actually love him!!
Golden,
How good were yiur boys against Accrington
Stanley
(Who are they) Exactly. Stick with your mid table muppets
Goldenballs
I would have to disagree i`m afraid.
I well recall Mowbray saying Wolves would give us a tough game last April at your place,
now that was ribticklingly funny.
No.1.
What your chairman who bought you for £10 said about your club having ambition, now thats funny!
Goldballs, i think the last post about the tesco team having a chance now that Cesc Fabregas is out was far more funny.
I’ve just read on another site that we have bid 17 million euros for 3 Real Mallorca players. Two defenders for a combined total of 9Million euros but the sticking point is the midfielder they want 10Million euros for and we are trying to get the price down. Liverpool are also after the midfielder I’ll come back with the names in a bit, exciting if true!.
Boing Boing
Its rumoured that we’re after Real Mallorca midfielder Borja Valero and his two team-mates Oscar Trejo and the Portuguese central defender Nunes, for a total price of €17 million euros.
El Mundo has stated today that Valero and Trejo have already agreed to join the Midlands club. The price for Valero is €6million, and West Brom are trying to get Trejo’s price of €10million reduced (wholesale prices maybe?)
The latest news is that Rafael Benitez is intending to hijack the Valero deal
Wow, one tongue in cheek comment from a wolves fan and you lot are getting all jumpy.
I do find it funny though how he uses the terms “little old Albion” and “little club” when a lot of you on here try and convince us that your now a big club as your in the Prem. Even if it takes Wolves another 20 years to get promoted(which it May)”little old Wolves” and “little club” certainly wont be used to describe us.
All the best for the season though lads.
I would just luv it! if we get anything at Arsenal luv it! just luv it!
Boing Boing.
cant realy argue with that, right attitude to have in the prem.
Looks like someone’s been sniffing the boot polish.
Attitudes won’t change a thing - premiership quality players will and unfortunately you’ve only got about 4 of those.
And yes, you’re in the premiership, we’re not etc, etc.
If it’s any consoltation, you couldn’t possibly be as bad as Derby were last season.
He sounds bullish - we all know what happens to bulls. They chase blokes in red around then end up flat on their backs.
Spooky coincidence?
10. You really are deluded aren’t you. Do you need someone to explain what Mowbray is actually saying here. Of course your a little club when compared to Liverpool or Manchester United!
Wolves fans if you are gonna make comments at least make them humorous cus this other stuff is extremely tiresome. Yawn!
What do you consider our 4 prem quality players to be then dingle?
Southern
I`ts not just down to one tongue in cheek comment mate, you see the boards often enough to know that there is a constant tirade aimed in our direction from Wolves fans, and it does get rather monotonous.
I personally, be it agree/disagree embrace chat with fellow fans with varying allegiance’s,
unfortunately aside from yourself and the likes of Filton Malvern and a couple of others,
it`s kind of a moot point.
Question for 10. What exactly makes you a ‘big club’????
Simple Q i look forward to your answer.
If you don’t answer i’ll take it you’re at AE treating your bump on the head.
3. I just love that comment!!!! Brill pal…
Up the Premiership baggies…..
is there any truth in these 3 players from spain, cuz this is usually the place i cum to for the first news on any news from albion
Don’t you just love this man?
I’m believing!
BOING BOING.
10) Oh but you are Southern, you are. It’s that school of thinking that’s heavily contributed to you only been promoted once in the last 15 years!
You think you have a divine right to be in the Premiership and then get on your team’s back if you don’t get your own way, no matter how young the squad is or how frail their confidence is.
In today’s footballing world, you’ll always be little old Wolves in exactly the same way we’ll always be little old Albion in comparison to the big guns. The sooner you lot get used to it the better.
i cant find any info on the real mallorca deals whatsoever!!!!!! nunes is a little old but the other two are definately good signings valero has been linked with loads of top clubs so if we can get him it be a major coup for the albion!!!!!
If these rumours about the Mallorca players are true then I’m very excited - I know Nunes and Valero are both fantastic players - I don’t know much about the other player mentioned but I’m sure he is a good player too…. they would be a real coup (although I’m sure some wulfies will still try to say they are rubbish).
Are these the exciting signings that Burf was talking about ??? That guy has some good info !!
LOVIN IT !!!!!!
TONY MOWBRAYS COMMENTS…
We have got to earn things from our performance levels,” said Mowbray. “Otherwise all through
the season the press will do the quaint story of ‘little old Albion’ going off to play Liverpool or Manchester United as lambs to the slaughter.
MICK MACCARTHYS COMMENTS…
“It will be another tough game, not least as Rotherham have already put out Sheffield Wednesday,” said McCarthy.
Mmm… very interesting…. TM wants us to compete with man u’s arsenals… MM is worried about Rotherham!!! BRILLIANT
18. I dont know the answer. It’s just something ive heard every pundit/commentator/player(wolves or not)ex players/managers(wolves or not)/fans(wolves or not)/people I meet at work(none are Wolves fans)/people I have talked to in pubs about football(the conversation normally goes “who do you support mate” “wolves” “oh, your a big club when are you going to get into the prem).
If I or any other Wolves fans had a tenner every time we were told or heard”your a big club” we would have all bought Wolves last year(lol).
Then again maybe your right and they are all wrong.
By the way, your an albion fan right?? Why not give yourself a name that refers to your team and not the “big club” down the road??
I dont call myself “southern baggies hater”. That would imply that i care more about you lot than my own.
Just a thought.
Just heard Clement is out for the Arse game - so looks like its def Meite and barnett at the back.
23 - I have my suspicions about Burfmeister…..
He comes on here, gives indications about things that might happen, but without giving names, and then dissapears for days to win 13 Gold medals at the Olympics, stop the fighting between Russia and Georgia, put out fires, save cats that are stuck up trees, then return to see his mystic predictions have come true!!
Burfmeister - A.K.A. Mr C. Kent anyone?!
25- In the same way commenting on our boards does?
Southern - do people really say “Oh your a big club” in the pub??
I can’t imagine they do - unless they just stepped out of a time machine…
Surely they say “Oh I voted for you in the whingers poll” - or “didn’t Martin O’Neil used to manage you - oh hang on, thats Wycombe wanderers”.
Big club - LMAO.
I told someone in a pub the other day that I’m from Birmingham and they said “Oh, thats a big city. When are you going to have the next industrial renaissance ” ?
Southern, have you ever considered actually working at the Black Country Museum?
They get paid money to pretend they live in the past there!
28. No, its just banter. I havent really said anything derogotry?? about Albion.
I do believe certain individuals seem obsessed with bad mouthing rivals which to me shows they care an awful lot.
29. Happy if you ever venture outside the west midlands (and it doesnt set off your ankle tag) try asking some of the football world what they think of Wolves. Some wont like us but the words big club or sleeping giant will be used.
I’m sure you wont admit it but give it a try.
I honestly get told it every time I mention my team to anyone. I live in Hertfordshire by the way so not really a hotbed of West Mids supporters.
If you get these three players then it will demonstrate your board is serious and maybe I will win my bet on you staying up.
All this big club small club discussion is daft. We are both medium sized clubs who have a sufficient fan base to keep us two thirds of the way down the premiership if we have very good managers. However if Tesco’s get it right this season then they have every opportunity of growing really fast. Imagine premiereship cash plus a rich ’sugar daddy’…
Wolves seem to have a very tight ’sugar daddy’ and if we don’t go up this year then I really fear for our future.
But we will,,,,,,,,Magic Mick WILL lead us to the promised land. Good luck Saturday but a colleague who coaches some of Arsenal’s kids told me the ‘gooners’ are really up for this game. They want to start with a bang so don’t expect them to be complacent…
I came over here for some peace and quiet away from the `whingers` but they seem to be spreading consternation and doom like a great plague. There must be a great office block full of them in Wolvy. Anybody got some TNT? Please send Terryclosetwolvesfanatic over there to give them someone to aim their venom at. I love the way Arsenal play but hope you give them a beating Saturday. It must be easier being a Baggies fan but that would be a step too far.
25. Yeah you are a massive club… amongst the likes of swansea doncaster and the mighty blackpool….
Keep watching the slide shows of the 50’s pal.
Well the rumour about the three Real Mallorca players is on sky sports web page. Looks like it’s more than just a rumour.
That could make things interesting at the back.
I will be there to see the baggies draw 1-1 at the emirates, no need to be afraid of the big boys we have to play them some time so why not at the beginning of the season before they are fully fit then we will have a chance of a 1-1 draw
we need a good def a new mid not the geeza from charlton please, a new forward big time or i can see us finding it really hard all season…….oh a sponsor cuz were gonna look stupid in those shirts at the mo
stuff all this lot where the hell is our sponsor mr peace
morning premier fans (exc vile)morning championship fans i got me kit on the line already for arsenal tomorra im so excited cant wait bring um on come on you BAGGIZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
AYE BOING BOING
terry mate ,have a safe journey and bring 3 points back with ya,,,the time is now lets go and show what we can do,,,see ya at everton game mate for a few sherbutts ,say hi to nic and andrea…see ya on the tele do us proud….boingboing…STARTING THE SEASON THE MOWBRAY WAY,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOOOH YES.
39 - stuff buying new players and concentrate on getting someones name on our shirts ??
Thats really gonna help us win games aint it !!
If you are more concerned about corporate sponsorship than getting new players in, maybe you should consider joining the prawn sarnie brigade at ManUre.
1 GB, 7 Carl, 10 Southern, 13,14 Clapham.
I feel for you in your hour of suffering and therefore I come bearing an olive branch. There have been times over the last 40 years when we have been in as depresing a situation as you are now in and I understand the frustration leads to the need to have a go at us on here. Please feel free to carry on if it helps. Encouraging for you that you easily beat us in the most hated club league so that’s good already, isn’t it?
30 & 31 Happy & Ned.
Brilliant. Yet another reason that it’s great to be a Baggie. Some days it’s like reading a football version of Private Eye on here.
Various from Southern.
People say ‘Wolves are a big club’ or ‘Wolves are a sleeping giant.’ If only Freud was still around to analyse these voices in your head. Although I suppose it wouldn’t surprise him as he was alive the last time you were.
33 & 34 E11 & Debenham.
Good to see there is still some intelligent life that has not been dragged down into the pond that is the Molineaux (I mean a massive pond obviously.)
Last but not least. 37 Frank.
Great to see you back, especially as your glass appears to be approaching almost half not quite empty.
43. Nice Post!
Wolves big club hmm thats big there manager has to relate to us in what to do for the coming season. Wolves fans listen, Just enjoy your next 30years in the fizzy pop league you never no they may even change from coca cola to Doritos to emulate you.
Division One Rubbish In Tatty Orange Shirts!
44) A bigger club than yow will ever be. Don’t get jealous. You have only one advantage over us…. being in the Premiership.
The negatives are - poor ground, bad support, no sponsor, no one wants your club, less honours, not a very good academy etc
We may be the under dogs but some times the under dogs become top dogs and prove all the experts wrong