Boss convinced Baggies will survive

Monday 23rd February 2009, 10:32AM GMT.

FULHAM ALBION 22 DHAlbion boss Tony Mowbray has delivered a defiant message in the wake of the Baggies’ defeat at Fulham, insisting: “We still believe.”

He claimed his team can still collect enough points to stay in the Premier League in spite of their latest major setback at Craven Cottage.

Mowbray’s men were well beaten and they stay bottom of the table, but the manager is refusing to give up hope.

He said: “Only five or six players in our squad have ever played in the Premier League, so there is a gulf and that’s what we’re up against.

“Yet, every week, we do compete. Particularly at home, I think we’ll win some games between now and the end of the season. Will we win enough? Time will tell.

“But we’ve won five already and I feel as if we should have realistically won seven by now. With those extra points we’d have been out of the bottom three and making a fist of it like everyone else.

We are where we are and we’re still working extremely hard as a group of players. I can’t question their effort and desire to do well.”

Mowbray’s team are next in action at Everton on Saturday with the manager hoping captain Jonathan Greening will be back in action.

But Mowbray still believes it is at The Hawthorns where his team’s fate will largely be sealed.

He said: “There is no points target, but I think we will win games at home.

“When I look at the fixtures I see teams coming to The Hawthorns that we can beat, especially with our fans creating an intensity.

“It was a huge disappointment against Newcastle a fortnight ago, but we have another four or five of those teams in and around us coming to The Hawthorns.”


  1. 1
    Jeff

    Utter Tripe Tony!!

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  2. 2
    WakeyBaggie

    Well what a surprise, you also seem to think that we can win games playing some strange type of “non contact” football. Results have shown otherwise and still you refuse to play a midfielder (And defenders) who can tackle. Remember Tony the only reason we have not got any players with premier league experience is because you did not sign any and for the fees spent on Zuiverloon, Valero and Luke Moore I think we could have got some know how into the team. It is however your stubborness regarding a holding midfielder that irritates. Add this to the fact that we move the ball so slowly we are a dream to play against. If you don’t change you tactics and learn from the results we are getting I am afraid you may have to go yourself.

    Report abuse

  3. 3
    Wbaforever

    So TM

    You cant question their effort and desire.

    Is that a generic statement, because if your view includes yesterdays debacle, then you have insulted and alienated every single Albion fan.

    Report abuse

  4. 4
    maghullbaggie

    Those teams coming to the Hawthorns also believe they can win those games and unfortunatley they are.

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  5. 5
    Paul

    Just saw a flying pig……….

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  6. 6
    Alan Ellison

    Albion’s midfield is crying out for a defensively minded holding player. I was delighted when we finally signed one. So where is he? sitting in the stand whilst the current midfield players fail once again to get tackles in and,at least,try to give the back four some much needed protection.Albion will continue losing game after game until this issue is resolved. One plus point: Scott Carson was excellent.

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  7. 7
    AMS

    TM must believe because if he publically throws the towel in then it really is over. Yesterday was awful – we can only hope the players were more embarrassed than the fans over what they produced. In private I would hope a more realistic appraisal has taken place. Talking about TMs position at the moment is an irrelevance as there is no alternative who would do any better with the players at the club. We have bought players in who were no better than those that got us up. That was a big mistake but hindsight makes us all experts. We need to move on and get behind the team. Greening will improve things on Saturday if fit but whether it will make a telling difference against a talented Everton team remains to be seen.

    Report abuse

  8. 8
    TERRY ROMEO BAGGIE

    Tony what effort and desire are you refering to,the effort and desire to board a plane and fly off to sunnier climes for a freibie holiday,we paid £14-80p for 3 n half pints of lager in fulham thats what i call effort and desire aye boing boing robbin sods

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  9. 9
    TERRY ROMEO BAGGIE

    i see fabio capelo was sitting in the stands,i hope he wornt watching any of our lot,aye boing boing donk

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  10. 10
    TERRY ROMEO BAGGIE

    we watched the great escape dvd on the way there(agen)can anyone explain to me why we sold rob earnshaw, i see he scored agen on saturday,aye boing boing top scorer

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  11. 11
    malcolm harris

    we have not competed since we beatspurs at home.now hes saying fulham had more players with premiership experiance. we should got in quality in august, now i think its to late. DOOMED

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  12. 12
    malcolm harris

    I THINK I COULD HAVE MADE BETTER SIGHNINGS THAN MOWBRAY HAS.OUR DEFENCE IS NO BETTER THAN WALSALLS

    Report abuse

  13. 13
    Albion till i die

    Good to see TM is still concerntrating on relegation.

    The only question remaining is who else will be relegated with us?

    Report abuse

  14. 14
    no1baggiesfan

    How much longer will this sad story drag its weary little feet, all season we have heard the same song, no premiership experience, we lost that in philips, we needed strikers, hmmmm philips again, we needed players who could win the ball back, we got 5 attacking players instead, we have the fans and the stadium, we are in the premiership, our manager is in cuckoo land, passing does not win games goals do, we concede too many too easily, our snail like tempo couldnt even beat burnley, we will stuggle if we stay up and if we go down, for a manager who was once a defender, I find it amazing that he cannot buy a decent tackling player and produces a team that cannot defend it beggars belief.
    sorry tm, its time for your p45.

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  15. 15
    Dean

    GO BACK TO SCOTLAND MOWBRAY!!!!!!!!!!

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  16. 16
    Albion Til I DIE!

    I am glad you still have belief T.M because your players certainly don’t have any.They have given up already.I saw no commitment whatsoever against Fulham.I even knew Bednar whould miss the penalty before he took it.They were second to every ball and ducked out of challenges one after the other.If they no longer wish to play then put the kids in,they mighnt show more desire.I did’nt see any of it on Sunday.If Valero plays anymore i will think twice about renewing my season ticket next season.I told you last year we needed a like for like replacement for K.Phillips,James Beattie was the man.The fact we did’nt sign him or any players with prem experience is’nt down to you but J.Peace.You have made makeshift signings instead and gambled wrongly.But i still support you,ONLY JUST!Please don’t give me any reason to question this anymore.The fact the bench was laughing when we was playing so badly was disgraceful,PUT IT RIGHT NOW!

    Report abuse

  17. 17
    frank

    Come on we are as good as down . TM your team selection and habit of buying powder puff players as made sure that we are down .£5mn for that idiot in the middle of our midfield says it all .

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  18. 18
    DIGWBA

    He must be seeing something we dont, yesterday was awful no fight,no bottle, in fact clueless,team selections sometimes baffling,i’m getting angry with defensive schoolboy errors and certain inept midfielders saids to myself i would’nt get wound up again like this, that’s football i suppose

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  19. 19
    halfordsowen

    Anybody remember the pre Mowbray games ? 5 -1 Ipswich away, and 2 – 0 Palace away. That team under Nigel Pearson ( now top of the league with Leicester )could wipe the floor with us. I dont think Nigel would come back to work under Peace again though, and I would’nt blame him.

    Report abuse

  20. 20
    smethwick baggie

    I like many am unfortunately losing faith in TM. I know he played well on Sat but Carson is the worst goalie we’ve had in a long time. His other signings are sadly little better. Should have brought in a top class CB in pre season. Barnett might be a ‘diamond of a lad’ but he simply ain’t good enough. Was it George Graham who said ‘ strikers win matches but defenders win championships’ ? Tactics are puzzling too. I also would have thought that after a two week break, partly in the sun, the players would have at least competed against Fulham. Signings , tactics, motivation, don’t leave much else does it Very disappointed that it looks like we’re going to blow it for the third time. Stop burying your head in the sand Mowbray and reading the same statement after each match. Try something different away from home at least to try and halt the slide

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  21. 21
    Baggiedad

    Tony Mowbray a man of many words, sold us all a dream. A dream that we would once again be able to exist alongside the normal clubs that ply there trade in the Premiership. The top four sides were pretty much untouchable, which makes them abnormal to the rest of us, but at least we would compete. He also sold this dream to Mr Peace who backed his vision of the beautiful game returning to the Hawthorns with millions of quids, far more than any other manager had ever had at their disposal, he also had great success in convincing the local and national media who regularly wrote and reported of the stylish way in which our beloved team had lost yet another game but it would all get better we were told and all of this kept us believing.
    IT WAS A LIE!!!!
    We were sold A LIE!!
    It is bad enough that we may be relegated,
    But is it right that we should be laughed at?!
    Not even the most one eyed inhabitant of the Custard Bowl who were all predicting before the season started that we would be straight back down could have foreseen the load of rubbish that was served up yesterday.
    GET IT SORTED JEREMY!!
    BEFORE THE FANS DO!!!!

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  22. 22
    Tipton wba

    Just read comments you lot put on here you are all entitled to your opinions but its easy to say do this and do that but the fact is if the players aint got no confidence cause we keep getting on there backs then they aint going to do anything like barnet at the back he is a young defender that is Learning the game and in time i think he will be a good player like a few players we have tm said he was building for the future and thats what he has done and i no at the min every 1 wants to win week in week out but the fact is it aint going to happen and deep down we all no it and the people who want tm sacked have you forgoten what he has done for us he got us playing football rather than ugly football defending all the time and try to nick a goal here or there have you forgoten the last 2 seasons we scored loads of goals every 1 loved it when that was happening and now we are Going through a rough patch you turn on our manager and players we are ment to be Albion till we die through thick and thin no mater what

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  23. 23
    baggieken68

    How’s this analogy? J.P. calls T.M.and says, come & manage my F1 team, here’s £150. Go buy two Reliant Robins & bring me the British G.P title, only one man is to blame!

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  24. 24
    Santa

    There is a good article on”606″from a Hibs supporter,its tells us something else about Mowbray.He,s had his chance, get rid, lets have a breath of fresh air.Perhaps we could persuade Pearson and Shakey,or Jol with Sneekes and Regis, or even Trewick with someone.Atleast they have an affinity with Albion.

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  25. 25
    johnoscousebaggie

    only one decent midfielder yesterday koren!

    the rest of um gutless and clueless reminds me of bobby gould days

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  26. 26
    Baggiebob

    I can’t see where the points are coming from at Home or Away. Why did we buy Valero and Moore? I am disappointed that a so called ‘play maker’ passed to more white shirted players than yellow ones!

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  27. 27
    johnoscousebaggie

    if by a miracle we stayed up? peace must go! otherwise we will struggle every season! just cannon fodder for premiership so called big four so many promises every year new players new improved ground premiership support club run by a conference board leeches

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  28. 28
    johnoscousebaggie

    when was the last time peace attended a game ?
    why because hes not interested!just sell up and go ebeneezer before you drag this famous old club down again! we need somebody to fully back us! not bleed us !

    Report abuse

  29. 29
    yoyobaggie

    i want to slap the defence around face and wake them up

    Report abuse

  30. 30
    Dorset Baggie

    Talking about desire and commitment just take a look at Stoke.Hull.Pompey even Newcastle players ,all diving in on tackles and blocking ,giving all for the cause .We do not see this do or die effort from our team,we must try a new approach at home two up front and a holding mid fielder to link the two or we are down.

    Report abuse

  31. 31
    yoyobaggie

    J. PEACE IS TO BLAME,HE IS THE CHAIRMAN WITH NO AMBITION, THIS IS OUR 4TH TIME IN THE PREM AND HE HAS FAILED US EACH TIME, SO I SAY IT AGAIN MR PEACE GET OUT,AND LETS GET SOMEONE IN WHO HAS GOT SOME BALLS AND WILL SPEND SOME REAL MONEY, NOW WE WANT A NEW MAN IN CHARGE. IF WE ARE GOING TO BE IN THE PREM, THEN WE SHOULD HAVE A PREM QUALITY SQUAD, TO GO WITH THE PREM QUALITY SUPPORTERS.

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  32. 32
    Kiwi Pete

    Regarding Post 19 – Leicester are top because Shakespeare is No.2!!!!! Again, why let you’re right hand man go, surely money can’t be an issue, can it??

    Report abuse

  33. 33
    stonecutter

    Mowbray should go now he is clueless we have the weakest midfield in the league we could of got a player like Murphy in easy ; supporters can see it why can’t he ; same defensive mistakes same stupid excuses no effort no desire from the manager words like we’ll try,and lets hope its enough are pathetio should be we will(and laughing with Luke Moore on the bench after we missed the penalty I felt insulted).It wouldn’t suprise me if we got knocked out of the cup on purpose so the players could have a jolly in Tenerife when we get relegated are you going to take the players on a preseason tour of the Caribean ??
    I’m not going again whilst he’s there and Luke Moore(lazy/spineless) picking up good money for what ?

    Report abuse

  34. 34
    PHIL

    No bottle, no passion, no idea,what another premier league let down.Whats the point of promotion if you dont compete perhaps they could all do with another break, this team will not even be any good in the championship spineless. ,

    Report abuse

  35. 35
    PHIL

    we should be due for another rallying call from one of the players oh i forgot we havent got any.

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  36. 36
    Albion Till I Die

    Youseff in (or however you spell it) Valero out

    Midfield: Mensequez Koren Mulumbu Morrison

    sorted

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  37. 37
    Chicago WBA

    What little hope I had left escaped after the Newcastle game; however we have a manager with great potential and need to treat this season as part of his education.

    I would love a decent season in the top flight – but will take this over trips to Bath and relegation to the third tier.

    Report abuse

  38. 38
    tipton baggie

    what short memories you have , you sound more like the dingles ! we will always struggle in the prem as need a big investment of money in to the club to compete. we will never pay big transfer fee’s and certainly not pay big wages , we just can’t attract the quality of player we need to stay in the prem . so you got to ask yourself will a new manager do any better than TM ? i doubt it, we need stabilty. whats the worst thing that can happen ? we can go down and start scoring loads of goals and start winning matches again

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  39. 39
    OxonBaggie

    Sorry tony but your time is up. How many more games do I have to watch valero doing nothing.Admit it you wasted a load of money on him and Moore and Zuiverloon (he cant defend), Meite to name a few.
    Why havent you bought centre backs and a right back who are up for a fight. All very pretty but ineffective.
    Go now and JP bring in a short term messiah until end of season to see if they can work a miracle to get us out of this.

    Report abuse

  40. 40
    WBAlex

    I was at Fulham too, but I think some of the comments here are over the top. I couldn’t see that any of the players were not giving 100%. The problem is that some are still on a very steep learning curve. They were making tackles, but the problem is often after winnning the ball they can’t make the switch from defence to attack in a swift and efficient manner. Barnett is a classic example. Lots of balls get half cleared to the wrong player, or worse, get intercepted. The midfield, needs not so much a ball winner, as a dominant player with a physical presence, who can organise, demand the ball, and control things much like Danny Murphy.

    Report abuse

  41. 41
    Cyril Randle

    I am appalled at what I have been reading with MOST of you on here. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Thank God I don’t have friends like you. I hurt as badly as anyone after Sunday’s debacle. I could also see quite clearly the problems we have. That doesn’t give anyone the excuse to slaughter Tony Mowbray or Jeremy Peace. Less than a year ago you were all wallowing in winning the Championship as Champions. Silverware! Something not seen at The Hawthorns since 1968.
    Football to drool over, not be bored stupid by two previous managers. Where is this ‘Messiah’ going to come from? How can we give him money we do NOT have? Would you like us to do a Leeds impersonation? It’s tough when you are down, but THAT’S when you show you are REAL men, REAL supporters, thick and thin! What the hell’s the matter with you all? It’s bloody football, not your wife, children, mortgage and your house. Thank God we had spirited people in GB after Dunkirk! Adolf would have shown you how well off you are.

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  42. 42
    The Hoff

    Well said, Cyrill.
    The last three performances have been totally unacceptable & Mowbray and Peace have made some big mistakes this season, but lets get this clear – Peace is generally doing the right thing in terms of the long term future of the club & he can’t go because there isn’t anyone to replace him, and Mowbray is the right man long-term to get us established in this League. Their mistakes are frustrating, particularly as the fans can see what is wrong, but you have to look at the bigger picture & in overall terms we have the right two people at the helm.

    Report abuse

  43. 43
    owen wba

    Mowbray the muppet !!!

    tell me one thing, what has tony done for albion ???

    nothing….

    it was hes fault that we did not go up the 1st year,
    any moron could of gt us up with that team last year.

    borja valero, not even worth 5p

    Report abuse

  44. 44
    owen wba

    Mowbray the muppet !!!

    tell me one thing, what has tony done for albion ???

    nothing….

    it was hes fault that we did not go up the 1st year,
    any moron could of gt us up with that team last year.

    borja valero, not even worth 5p

    Report abuse

  45. 45
    no1baggiesfan

    Why do people keep blaming peace ? does he buy the players ? NO, does he pick the team ? NO, does he decide tactics and training ? NO, he just runs the financial side of the club, If you earn £300 quid a week you cant go out spending £400 a week can you ? Its the same at WBA, if you morons want to pay £50 a ticket then Im sure mr peace will spend £20M on one player and pay him £100k a week until then SHUT UP, you have no idea what you are talking about, blame the manager, blame the players, they are the ones responsible.

    Report abuse

  46. 46
    WBA Dan

    keep the faith Mowbury will do us proud

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  47. 47
    stonecutter

    Re Cyril Randle – So its ok for the team to put in these performances week in week out and us just taking it on the chin we spend our hard earned money whilst people like Luke Moore swan about doing nothing – Mowbray same stupid excuses – we deserve at the very least 100% effort , think its time you got real instead of accepting mediocrity

    Report abuse

  48. 48
    yoyobaggie

    41 your right, i’m sorry for everything i’ve said. NO I’M NOT,we have more supporters than wigan stoke portsmouth fulham hull and a few others,so we should be able to have more money in the kitty to buy better players, in the last few years weve been in the prem four seasons, so why are we at the bottom? to 45 i see you have been brain washed,i will say what i like when i like okay twat

    Report abuse

  49. 49
    yoyobaggie

    if we cant compete then lets stay in the chumpionship the last time we were in the prem we could of stayed up but peace did’nt want to get haselbaink and a defender from middlesboro i cant remember his name,well i can but i’m not going to try and spell it,anyway we went down,and thats my point,peace wants us to be a yo yo club,and he thinks our supporters are going to listen to his crap all the time like YOU 45.yes mowbray picks and trains the team,but you cant make a silk purs from a sows ear

    Report abuse

  50. 50
    yoyobaggie

    OH MY GOD WE WANT LIAM RIDGWELL NOW

    Report abuse

  51. 51
    frankthegas

    I for one will be happy when we are top of the championship next season.Its better than being bottom of the premiership and seeing the baggies losing every week,what was better than seeing your team winning every week and being top of the league.What fan wants to see there team lose every week,i don’t,i go to see W-B-A every week not MU or any other team

    Report abuse

  52. 52
    wolves1877

    And you lot call us Fickle lol you are the SHAME of the midlands. wba the midlands SHAME.

    Report abuse



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