Tony Mowbray today claimed the loss of Kevin Phillips and Zoltan Gera could help Albion’s squad-building mission for the Premier League.

Mowbray insisted he remains relaxed about the decisions of Phillips, Gera and Martin Albrechtsen to quit The Hawthorns.

He claimed the departure of the trio could assist summer strengthening by freeing up space for new faces.

“It’s not a blow,” said Mowbray. “It didn’t hit me as a shock that they were all out of contract. I knew it was coming.

“If anything, it gives an opportunity to bring freshness and I’m a big believer that you must continually refresh a team and bring in new faces to stimulate the players.

“We have an opportunity to do that, so there is a

positive out of the proposed negative.”

Phillips and Albrechtsen passed up the chance of Premier League football to join Birmingham and Derby respectively while Gera

surprised Baggies fans by signing for Premier League rivals Fulham.

But Mowbray has again refused to criticise the trio for taking what many fans perceive as backward steps.

“I don’t judge anybody,” said Mowbray. “They had their agendas, though I’m not too sure what they were.

“The lads have to do what they think is best for them and their families and I wish them well for their careers. But we move on.”