Albion set to extend Koren deal
Thursday 29th April 2010, 11:50AM BST.
Albion are set to extend midfielder Robert Koren’s contract at the Hawthorns by another year – according to the player’s agent.
But Zoran Krneta believes Koren’s future with the Baggies is still uncertain, as the club have yet to open talks over an extension beyond next summer.
Koren’s deal expires in June but Krneta claims Albion are ready to activate their one-year option on the contract, effectively extending his deal until the summer of 2011.
The agent said: “All they have indicated that they will take up the option.
“There has been no official confirmation of this, but there has been an indication from the club that that is what they are planning to do.”
If Albion formally exercise their option it would protect some of the Slovenia captain’s value to the club in the transfer market and prevent him leaving the Hawthorns on a free transfer at the end of the season.
But it would not end speculation over a potential summer exit for the 29-year-old, who is celebrating his second promotion to the Premier League in Baggies colours.
The option would tie Koren to the Baggies for just 12 months, meaning this summer would remain their last chance to secure a transfer fee for the man they signed for free from Lillestrom in January 2007.
Krneta said: “At the moment Robert is a West Brom player and as things stand he will be there next season, but that might change.
“Everything will depend on how much the team is strengthened and who are the new guys who come in.
“It’s all a bit early to say exactly what will happen next season and, at the moment, Robert is starting to focus on the World Cup.”
Koren, who is set to captain Slovenia against England in the World Cup group stages this summer, had a public bust-up with boss Roberto Di Matteo this season after refusing to shake the head coach’s after his substitution against Scunthorpe.
But the pair have patched up their differences, with the player enjoying a significant role in the closing stages of the season.
Krneta said: “As far as Robert is concerned, he never had an issue with Roberto.
“He had an issue with not being given a proper chance to prove himself as a player and, when he has had that chance this season, I think he has proved himself.”
UK Sport
Latest Blog — A week is a long time in football
This time last week we were staring down the barrel, third from bottom with a worse record than at the same stage last year, writes Saddlers blogger Mark Jones.
Saddlers Blog
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Well with Koren, Hulse and an ex-chelsea doctor this is the ‘premiership experience’ on board that JP will be willing to shell out for with improved contracts to the current squad.
I read today that Schmeichel will be allowed to leave Notts County, we need to sign him up as Carson unsettles the home crowd. Id like to see us get Robbie Blake or David Nugent to add a bit of firepower, steve finnan will add experience and be a good mentor to Zuiv, Giavanni would be an excellent player to bring off the bench and Danny Fox is a very good left back. All realistic targets to improve our squad whilst keeping the financial structure in tact.
Report abuse
I’d be happy to keep Koren as a squad player,his style is probably better suited to the top flight,and he’s got plenty of experience.It would be crazy to let someone go that’s about to captain his country in the World Cup finals.On a different note,not too sure about the rumours of Rob Hulse coming back,maybe RDM wants to keep this system of one physical target man up front,but I don’t feel he’s got the quality to worry many defences in the prem. these days.
Report abuse
Koren’s a class act. He’ll do well at the World Cup in the summer too.
Report abuse
Mr.Krneta,
Robert Koren is a very good player, after all is said and done Roberto Di Matteo is the Head-Coach,
Robert has to play wherever Roberto needs him and
if he needs to change things round by taking him off he will do because he is paid to make those
decisions. Mr.Krneta you state Robert never had an issue with Roberto,then you state he did because he was treated unfairly!. Make up your mind please.
~~~~BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
Report abuse
Robbie Blake or Nuggent???
Lets get real for a minute. If your throwing around this sort of quality why not splash out and get curtis barnes from willenhall town or a ball winner from the the anchor pub.
please
Report abuse
Totally overated and only plays when he feels
like it,best thing Roberto Di Matteo could do
is let Koren go and bring back Borja Valero
who is better on the ball and gets stuck in
more,the number of tackles Koren has ducked
out of this season is laughable.
Report abuse
I think RDM handled koren brilliantly.
Here is a player who can make a real impact – especially at CCC level but who was not reaching the standards he set previously.
RDM dropped him and subbed him and brought him back to earth – and guess what…. Koren starts scoring again and putting in some great performances.
Not sure if he will be a regular next season if we get watson or someone similar but he has quality and i’m glad we have him for another 12 months.
Report abuse
DLB – “Valero gets stuck in more” ????????
Not sure we are thinking of the same player so I remember BV as a talented player but hardly one to track back or put his foot in.
Still – nice to know there is one player you like.
Report abuse
Let`s face it, all of Mowbray`s midfielders including Koren, Valero, Kim, Mcdonald, Greening et al thought tackle was something to do with fishing. Thankfully RDM has added some steel all over the pitch.
Report abuse
The last time we were in the PL if I recall correctly we were “powder puffs” getting knocked off the ball — not tackling hard enough etc. Sorry but both Koren and Valero (and others) were two of those in question.
We should learn from that last experience, we need players alittle more difficult to knock off the ball, like Watson (but i fear he’s not going to be available). Please dont lets start having back old boys (Hulse) who did’nt cut it first time round. Thats not making progress in my eyes.
Report abuse
Valero’s best position is in Spain.
Why did we sell Rob Hulse? He was a target man who hardly hit the target; not a Premier League player IMO.
I agree with comments about Koren and RDM.
Report abuse
No.1 Dave. Carson doesn’t unsettle the home crowd that I sit near. He was excellent yet again against Palace as he has been overall this season. He did drop a clanger against QPR I think away. A young lower-league backup goalie I agree with you, but Notts County are promoted and will want to keep the team together. Firepower? Pop-gun power maybe? Our scouting system is now so good I’m more than happy to leave it to the professionals.
Report abuse
MMMMMMMMMdont want hulse he wont cut it in the prem rather have jason roberts and the jury would be out on him,.piqionne dindane would be worth a punt we tryed for dindane back in meggos era got a chance now maybe of getting him schmichel no better than what we have fredarichi would be worth a bid so would camp,tuncay from stoke another striker that would do a job get keane from celtic on loan maybe?plenty out there to cherry pick i feel ,if ashworth n rdm can find an unknowen star then they will jarra tomatz reid come to mind gonna be exciteing times this season
Report abuse
I said yesterday that I’ve never seen one of the ‘Transfer Rumours’ happen and I’d be amazed if this one did.
As for knocking Koren and suggesting Blake and Nugent. Ah well I suppose the game is all about opinions.
Football is all about getting a blend of players. If we can’t find room for a hard working, skillful player like Koren in the squad we might as well join Mick’s revolution. I’m happy to leave it to RDM to decide who he wants and who he doesn’t.
I agree Cyril, Carson is a good keeper getting better all the time. He’s said himself that he needs someone challenging him (Speroni? yes please or Westwood.) I think we’ve had a slight problem in that Scott and Deano are quite similar, brilliant shot stoppers who don’t command their area as much as they could. Having a keeper who comes for the ball more would probably rub off on Carson.
Report abuse
Id sooner have Hulse than pay 8.5 million for a c/f who only scores 7 goals a season,aye boing boing
Report abuse
….and talking of Mick’s revolution
I think MadMick ought to play his shadow squad players when the Albion come to Molineux, they’ll be far too strong for us with Hulse in the side. Save ourselves for Chelsea or Arsenal.
Lord Molineux has spoken
Report abuse
(7,10,14,16,17,18.)Blog”C-Palace 1, ALBION 1.
Regarding Wolves1877, I commented on him in the blog “Lets shock the Premier urges Thomas”. Read
post (35) then my post (36).JtH.
Report abuse
(16)
LM,
You’re right, He should do a “Man Utd” when you play us in the Custard-bowl. Then he’ll have a brilliant excuse when we crush your load of dead-ducks.
~~~~BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
Report abuse
Agent speak – not worth the internet page it’s typed on.
Report abuse
18. If Stoke, Fulham, Blackburn, Everton, Tottenham etc have failed to break us donw over the last few months I cant see Bednar and Cox doing it!
Yes Wolves are great at not crossing the halfway line, is that we have scored 2 against Villa, Stoke, Burnley etc away from home, 3 away at westham, but still stoke and villa have already chalked off 6 points from youb oys as you can never get a result against them and this time around without the quality you used to have and the quality we now have:
Albion 0 – 2 Wolves
Wolves 3 – 1 Albion
Hulse will get a late goal for you to celebrate at Molineux!!! Albion 19th, Wolves 13th.
Report abuse
16 please dont play seb agenst us, if i remember rite he managed to get a header in agenst us last time,i know it went 20 yrds over the bar but he did manage it,and we all know how prolific he is in the prem dont we,aye boing boing
Report abuse
16 LM.
I seem to have touched a nerve and that wasn’t my intention (I really didn’t think any Wulfies would be reading an article about one of our players having contract talks)
As I said at the time it was an excellent achievement by Mick in keeping you up this season. What I was getting at was, how many of our fans that claim they want to replace Koren with a tough tackling, hard running midfielder who couldn’t trap a bag of cement, would be happy if we started playing next season the way the Wolves do?
I suggest that many of our fans would rather gamble with going down by playing attractive attacking football than if they were offered guaranteed 17th place by parking the bus and being bored to tears week in week out.
The facts speak for themselves, one goal in eight home games, eleven goals at home all season.
Sorry Lord Mol it wasn’t meant as a personal attack, just because the cap fits doesn’t mean that you have to put it on.
Report abuse
Meanwhile over on the dingles site thum even moaning about the new sponser,ohhhhhhhh dear no wonder thum a laffin stock,aye boing boing
Report abuse