Express & Star

Fit Samaras will be key man for us, says Albion boss Irvine

Boss Alan Irvine has tipped Georgios Samaras to be an Albion game-changer – but admitted the Greece international is still well short of full fitness.

Published

Samaras is due to captain his country against Northern Ireland tonight as he strives to boost his fitness following a frustrating start to his Baggies career.

But Irvine believes the former Manchester City and Celtic man will be a big-game player once he gets up to full speed, having so far made just four substitute appearances since his free-transfer move.

"There is real talent there," said Irvine. "The little pass for the fourth goal against Burnley is the kind of thing we might see when he's up to speed.

"He is somebody who can play that really fine pass that opens the door – but also somebody who can score goals.

"One of the things Neil Lennon (ex-Celtic manager) said was in the big games in particular for Celtic, 'Sami' came alive.

"He played at his best in some of the biggest games – European games in the Champions League. He made a real contribution to Celtic having a good run in those games."

Irvine was boosted yesterday by the return to training of record signing Brown Ideye after a fortnight out with an ankle injury.

But the Scot admitted Samaras is still playing catch-up after missing out on the intensive training several Baggies colleagues experienced during the September international break.

Samaras linked up with Greece instead and is away with his country again, although he played just nine minutes as a substitute in their 1-1 draw in Finland on Saturday.

"He's quite a long way away, to be perfectly honest," said Irvine.

"It's a shame because he went away for two international matches that he knew he wasn't going to play in from the start and he missed the work the other boys got back here during that period.

"That's frustrating but he is the captain of his country, he is going to go away on international duty, he's a really important player to them.

"I am sure he would be the first to admit he is way off what he is able to be physically."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.