Albion will spurn World Cup scouting
Friday 28th May 2010, 11:59AM BST.
Albion will spurn the World Cup as a trading post for new players this summer because it is a “false market.”
Dan Ashworth, the club’s sporting and technical director who heads the club’s recruitment plans, has no intention of joining the football throng heading for South Africa next month for the game’s global showcase.
Ashworth believes the tournament can provide a misleading picture of potential signings and has instead maintained his focus on gathering ‘intel’ on targets, based on their club performances.
The Baggies are looking to clinch another three or four deals to further strengthen their squad for the Premier League challenge looming.
But they are unlikely to stem from anything that happens in South Africa.
Ashworth said: “In terms of recruitment, the World Cup is of little relevance to this football club.
“It’s a false market where prices are inflated if any player does well. You get a false picture of players in a five or six game cup competition played in these super stadiums in front of billions of people watching on TV, it’s far removed from the realities of club football.
“We would much rather watch them in their club teams when you get a more accurate picture.
“I shan’t be going to the World Cup.”
While Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace is confident the club will be “very competitive” with wages this summer, the Baggies will baulk at splashing out big transfer fees and Ashworth is concentrating his focus on players coming out of contracts or able to enter loan agreements.
Albion already have a number of loan options on their radar – some involving Premier League players – while they are in the final throes of making another ‘free’ capture.
The signing of former Atletico Madrid defender Pablo Ibanez is expected to be completed this weekend. The player, capped by Spain more than 20 times, is a 6ft 3in centre-back who has been with Atletico for six years.
Ashworth said: “We’ve got several plates spinning, some are closer than others. We’ve got some options before us but we’re not out of May yet. I do feel we are already stronger than the team that came down last time.
“That squad is pretty much intact but we have seen players such as Graham Dorrans, Gabriel Tamas, Gonzalo Jara, Youssouf Mulumbu and now Steven Reid emerge.”
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We need two premiership quality strikers.If we dont get them in,we will get relegated again.To keep our best players,i.e Dorrans,Mulumbu.Jara,ect ect,we must stay up this time.While i think J.P has done a good job,this is his chance to make the club what it should be.That is a sustainable premier league club.The fans wont stand for anything less this time.
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Dan have you really thought this through?
I mean a free holiday to the World Cup?
You nutter, you should have blagged it mate, ive been telling work it would be good for me to go and help promote us as a global brand!!
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On a different note i was surprised to hear that J Greening could be on his way back to us. I thought the deal was like the Robbo one done with Bolton where it was a done deal the loan would be made permanent. Apparently not, Fulham now have to decide whether to take him or not.
We could end up with Jonno and Valero back at the club, congested midfield options or what?
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Agree with you bomber thought johnno was a done deal, sorry but weve moved on as good as he is I cant see room for him in our present system. He was a lynchpin in Mowbrays style keep it in midfield pass pass pass sideways backwards but RDM is a different coach and he likes those quick breaks fast feet and lightning reflexes cant see Johnno described in any of those can you??
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Sorry That if the Rumour that Super Kev is coming back on a Free, if so Fantastic Move, Who Else would you want coming off the bench with 15-20 to go, to get you a Goal and he is a Real Baggie.
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A good move by Albion.
Any player that does well we won’t be able to afford anyway.
Remeber Diouf Liverpool paid something like £11m.
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How can it be a waste of time,wasent it the world cup final where mick first spotted george elokobi,get out there Dan theres sum real gems aye boing boing
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Baggieheart
I remember them doing something similar with Phil Babb in 1994, hugely-inflated price tag. Ashworth has echoed these sentiments before, and in some ways I hope it gives us a head start in the market for players not at the World Cup.
Bomber
That’s an interesting one about Greening, I too thought it was a done deal, his remarks suggest otherwise.
One factor that may come into play is that Fulham presumably signed him as back up for Danny Murphy, with extra games due to the Europa League in mind. Next season, Fulham won’t have any European competition, and can perhaps afford to trim the squad.
I like Greening, and wouldn’t criticise him, but as Exiled Baggie says, would he fit into RDM’s style of football if he came back? I suspect not. If he did come back, would someone else stump up £4m bearing in mind he’s a year older and reputation seemingly no further enhanced? I suspect not. It might be best for us if this deal does go through.
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A Complete lack of ambition!!
JP will never spend the money to make a go of it! as for super Kev …are you guys having a laugh?
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I have no problem with Greening coming back – I think he was hampered by TM’s style of play and is actually very capable for going forward – remember the goal against the dingles when he ran through the middle ??
Only prob is I don’t think he would get in the starting 11 and at his age he needs to play regular football – so for that reason I hope he moves on.
PLEASE give up with the KP stuff – I can’t see us signing him for the odd 15 minutes here and there – and he made his feelings known when he left.
9 – why don’t you go away and watch Morgan pour your money into the white elephant that will be your ground – talk about a waste of money !!
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Regards the world cup – remember Leeds signed Thomas Brolin on the strength of the Euro championship – they never realised he was holding his stomach in during negotiations.
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Just read the 10 years of Jeremy Peace feature – what a great attitude to have – I am delighted to have him running my club and don’t disagree with a single word.
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wise words mr ashworth. we see it every four
years the same old chq book frenzy with clubs
paying silly amounts of dough for a player thats only had a good world cup!
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Of course Dan is under orders not to waste money. Why can,t the manager go he might get some new ideas.
As for Greening, great back to the waltz, sideways back, sideways back. He took us down and will again. See if they want Luke, don,t want to be paying my money to see him anywere next season.
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We are looking for proven premiership experience players.
Surely Greening fits the bill, and he can play anywhere in the midfield.
An experienced head so I wouldn’t mind Johno back.
Remember Greening played like he did because he was instructed to.
I remember him when he first came been a decent winger able to put the ball in the box with a bit of quality. He didn’t look to dictate tempo etc.
If Johno returns it would help soften the blow of losing Koren. In fact it may make sense as to why Bobby was let go.
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Two excellent articles, feet firmly on the ground, heads held high by the Baggies executive staff. The ground may well be developed in the future if we can stay up and as The Wulfies have a similar target we could see The West Midlands back on track too.
No.1. Your last few words sound like a threat.
Please don’t. A real supporter goes to Bury when it’s peeing down with cold rain and I think you almost surely are that type. Mr. Peace is giving it to you straight. If only our great country had been managed as good.
The UK could go into administration with 30 points deducted. Baggies won’t!
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No. 9
What lack of ambition? We’re trying to sign a recent 25 cap Spanish international!! He could come on a free! If we sign a full back and two strikers I would put money on us staying up. RDM and JP seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet and I personally think they are right. Boing Boing.
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This Greening story has come out of the blue. Our club have never said anything about him coming back whereas Valero’s position is always being discussed. I thought Greening’s move was done and dusted and the transfer fee sorted. Maybe it’s just Greening not understanding the contract, he’s not the brightest spark is he?
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why dont we agree to buy some good players, after a seasons loan,stay up then change our mind and send them back,like valero n greening,good idea that,if some other team wants our players (BUY EM)
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I dont want to see greening here again,only on the opposing losing side,im going to enjoy this season comming,greening, robbo, valero eat your haerts out.
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if any other club wants to come around here and use the same tactics,then tell them to knaff off.”PROUD TO BE A BAGGIE”
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Like Cyril I’ve found these two articles both fascinating and exciting.
I see us signing better players without spending a fortune.
I feel we have a scouting system that must now rank with the best in the country.
I see a medical dept whose results speak for themselves.
I see an academy that we could only dream of a few years ago.
Most of all he’s learnt from his early managerial mistake and the last two have been good and inspired. When he said RDM blew them away on interview I was a bit sceptical, not any more. RDM and Eddie Newton are growing into the club, I know we’ll lose them eventually but until then I’m loving it.
I’ve defended JP in the past, I’ve been accused on here of being him in disguise (I have hair that he’d envy and a bank balance he’d pity.)
Most of the good things I now see happening at our club are because of him. Yes he’s made mistakes but he’s got so much right.
Some people on here make me wonder what would make them happy. Perhaps they’re a bit angry that they missed out on the Portsmouth roller coaster as they seem to want our club run in the same way.
LONG MAY JEREMY PEACE REIGN OVER OUR CLUB.
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Anyone remember Zuberbuhler? He was signed on the back of an excellent world cup – how’d he work out again? :)
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10 Happy-I heard wolves are making changes at the custard bowl because they were originally planning to move to a new stadium,but Asda got in first to beat Morgan from snapping up the nearest Netto site.
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Must get a forward who can score goals. Can’t rely on the midfield to score them all. Would prefer a nippy player who can turn on the ball (not turn at 3 m.p.h.) and anticipate quickly in the box. i.e. someone to play off of Bednar. Albion musn’t make the same mistake as Mowbray, by never replacing Phillips. Remember him saying the forwards in the Prem would be fine. He realised by around Xmas that they weren’t fine, but by then it was too late.
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Alex, we have one who fits your description, but he’s still adjusting to the CCC so we can’t know just yet whether he’ll make the next step up. Cox I have in mind. If he does,
problem solved!
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Guys there seems to be alot of envy about The Dingles new super-stadium. I am not bothered we maybe a smaller club and our stadium isnt as good as their current stadium but love our club for what it is a small club with constant changes to our league status, a tight chairman who would prefer to pocket the profits instead of invest it in players and a probable relegation again this season, all part of being a Baggies fan! Boing Boing!
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25. Agreed, Cox isnt ready, Bednar is not good enough, Miller is too one footed and we desperately need strikers. A new GK is of great importance, two new full backs and a centre half.
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28 maybe we should go for the welsh 3rd choice keeper and 2 goal (1 pen)goal machine seb and a centre half with one foot shorter than the other on loan from stoke,aye boing boing
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I’ve told you before Baggietastic-loose-elastic, go and play in your own yard before your pants fall off. We’re playing ‘I spy’ today, not ‘My Dad’s bigger than your Dad’.
Ooh look, I spy with my little eye something beginning with ‘S’. Two of them in fact.
SIGNINGS. Wotcha mean, you don’t want to play this game because you haven’t got any?
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What is it with these so called fans who moan about JP. With the limited finances we’ve got the guy has done a brilliant job. Been a Baggies fan for over 40 years and look at how the club has been transformed in the last 10 !
Before that time we were a joke in terms of acadamy, training facilities etc.
Why don’t the fans who want JP out go off and support Pompey cos they’re gonna need every penny they can lay there hands on for the next 30 years at least !
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27 your missing one small detail, this super stadium of yours(carbon copy of kc stadium)will only be built if you stay up,thats put paid to that then,aye boing boing
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Something smels wolfie to me . . .
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‘Baggietastic’, two signings, four players in the World Cup (two aren’t even 1st team at the Baggies, one World Cup captain given away and close to signing a proven Spanish international defender. Whereas down the road you’ve got a bigger stadium to fit more dead-heads in. See you next season Dingleberry. As for Valero, I hope he gets that move. He was weak in the Premiership last time and won’t do his bit if he plays this season. I hope we make a killing with him to finance someone usefull.
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Why is everyone so suprised Greening may be coming back??
Ive said since the day he left, if we got promoted he could well come back. It was never a done deal it was always just a loan move.
Until Dorrans shone through this year he was our main man and after another heartbreaking relegation he was offered the chance to stay in the premiership through respect of all the years service he has given us. He didnt want to play in the championship again and I’ve always thought if we got promoted again he could come back. After all he might get more games with us than he would with Fulham…
But Im not sure how he would fit into the team now. If we play 4-5-1 Im sure he could play a role. Wouldn’t mind Greening back but our main priority is the defence and a premiership goalscorer or 2!
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Just seen that as far as the club is concerned Jonno is a done deal. There is no clause to allow him to come back. Seems as if warandpeace was right and he’s misunderstood what he’s signed up for. Perhaps it’s a bit like TM and he’s found out the grass isn’t always greener.
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Well said JerseyBaggie what agreat 10 years we have had under JP and now with Dan Ashworth we have never had it so good. (unless to go back to the 70s and I can). For a club (town) of our size we should be over the moon. Next year little old West Brom will be taking on some of the best teams in the best league in the world, playing against some of the best players in the world. I coount that as brilliant. Think back past ten years and some of the loony chairmen we had and some of the teams we had, then tell me which you prefer.
God save JP
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I’ve said my peace on JEREMY many times on here over the months and I still say it’s better to have a block of granite as an owner than a bucket of sand.
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I’m a JP fan as you know, but spare a thought for the man who stopped the downward slide and turned it back to ‘up’. Paul Thompson was that man. A gentleman and astute with it. He may have marginally misjudged Meggo the Ego after success went to his head and he was made a Lord of the Manor, but so have others since. What was it our scouting ‘system’ consisted of? Meg’s Dad and two uncles? Summat like that.
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