No training let up for Albion stars

Wednesday 24th June 2009, 10:57AM BST.

dan-harris.jpegAlbion players are facing a rigorous return to action from the men departed manager Tony Mowbray left behind.

With the club in-between management regimes, the Baggies head of sports science Dan Harris has emerged as a key figure in ensuring Albion’s players “hit the ground running” next week.

Hawthorns chief Jeremy Peace wants a new manager in position within a week to oversee pre-season preparations but Harris, head hunted from Birmingham City by former boss Mowbray, is warning the players that his team of fitness experts will not allow any slacking.

The Baggies begin their pre-season fixtures with a trip to Blue Square Premier side Histon on July 11, before they jet off to Slovenia for a week the following day to continue their preparations.

Harris said: “The lads have had programmes to follow while they’ve been away. But there will always be some boys that need more work than others and some that can probably play a game from day one.

“This is a good group of pros generally. They came back in reasonable shape last year and went through a fairly tough pre-season.

“We’ll do the foundation work in the UK before our first pre-season game and then we fly out to Slovenia.”

If all is going to Peace’s schedule, the hunt for Mowbray’s successor should see the Albion chairman today settling on the final names he wants to approach for the position.

Former Baggies skipper and promotion-winning St Johnstone boss Derek McInnes is a popular choice, while Peterborough’s Darren Ferguson and Preston’s Alan Irvine also remain high in the bookies ratings.

Out of work contenders led by Paul Ince and Aidy Boothroyd remain on the fringes at the moment.


  1. 1
    The Real Bully Hoo.

    With Dan Harris in charge, shouldn’t that read hit the ground limping?

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  2. 2
    BoingBoing666

    please lets drop Ince from the running lol!
    i really don’t rate him, nor Curbishley.
    My dream 2 would be Fergie Jnr or McInnes.
    lets hope fatboy Robbo keeps the pounds off over the break or we might be going back to Bolton for 500k!

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  3. 3
    SIR TERRY BAGGIE

    JODIE BAGGIE no matter how many beach babes there are i only have eyes for you aye boing boing I LOVE YOU JODIE XXXXXX

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  4. 4
    ALBION-MASSIVE

    I wish Sir Bob Taylor had some coaching badges/experiance, what a signing that would be. McInnes Or Fergie sounds good to me. I remember seeing Robbo on SkySports News a couple of years back, crying on camera over our relegation – so why does he want away now? As we know theres no loyalty in the game, Mr Mowbray showed us that.

    But no matter what we’ll be yp at The mighty Hawthorns next year cheering our Blue and White Baggie boys on. Oh A L B I O N we love you…………….

    Can’t wait to watch MOTD next season to see the skumm getting battered- week in, week out. Now that will be quality. ALBION forever – BOING BOING.

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  5. 5
    Kingswinford Baggie

    We don’t need a wet-behind-the-ears novice as a manager but we do need a yougish manager who is willing to work within the parameters that JP gives him. I personally would be considering such candidates as Alan Irvine or Paul Simpson. Experience is gained by mistakes and up till now Derek McInnes is lacking in experience. However, there must be other suitable candidates and Paul Ince and Alan Curbishley should not be considered as suitable.

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  6. 6
    ValeroLovesBrom

    Iam getting a bit tired of this all manager lark
    Ive got all the trust in the world that Jeremy
    Peace will find the Albion a real gem.
    If you look at the playing side of things then
    it still dont seem all that bad,I think
    MORRISON and ROBINSON will go and all the
    other members of the squad should stay.
    Carson,Zuiverloon,Martis,Olsson,Cech,
    Teixeira,Greening,Koren,Brunt,Miller,Bednar.

    PRETTY DECENT STARTING 11!
    AINT IT!
    BOING BOING!

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  7. 7
    The Real Bully Hoo.

    All this talk of dragging our feet about bringing a new manager in is c**p. The decision JP has to make will affect us for the next 5 or 10 years, so taking a week or two to get it right is neither here nor there. There is also the factor that most people in football will have had family holidays planned over the last few weeks. Over on the Wulfies pages they’re moaning about the lack of signings, again it’s because players are not here to talk to. The fact that this appointment is so important is the reason we can’t afford to rush it, sin in haste, repent at leisure. I don’t think any players will leave or join until the new man is in place, yes we may miss a couple of signings but we already have a good squad in place.
    Think Corporal Jones, ‘don’t panic.’

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  8. 8
    maltawolves

    7,Good to see some sensible veiws being aired.
    4,What you going to do when primary school finishes for the summer.By god people like you really are unbelievable (skumm getting battered),
    Prefer battered cod myself.
    As a fan of West Midlands soccer in general i hope JP gets it right and next season will see 4 Premiership WM derbies

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  9. 9
    KB

    TRBH Cant belive there has not been a flood of posts about the LW vid can you ?

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  10. 10
    The Real Bully Hoo.

    9 KB.
    Can only think all of the LW connoisseurs are on holiday, like I’ll be for next couple of weeks. Hope Ned sees the clip as it shows that LW isn’t involved in high finance in the South West but is alive and well on West Brom High St. It might stop Ned declaring his undying love for dear old Shadrag in future.

    I think this story which is about 2 weeks old is slightly better than the Evening Mail today. They run a headline ‘WBA board reveal front runners for managers job,’ followed by a story that goes on to say they’ve revealed nothing yet. I love the summer weather but don’t half miss the football.

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  11. 11
    Leonwba

    Alan Irvine for me.

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  12. 12
    jodiebaggie

    Thanks Sir Terry love you to boing boing
    me and me dad love the baggies till we die

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