James Morrison eyes West Brom cup joy

Morrison last week signed a four-year contract at The Hawthorns and the 26-year-old is targeting a trophy during the period of his new deal, echoing boss Steve Clarke's pledge to take cup competitions seriously.

The Baggies resume their Capital One Cup campaign at home to Liverpool on Wednesday and Morrison said: "A trophy would be nice.

"I don't see why more managers don't go for the cups and try to win a trophy.

"The big clubs use it to blood young players, which I kind of agree with, but clubs like ourselves have got to give the cups a real good go.

"There is no better feeling than winning a cup.

"I have won the Championship here, that was a great memory and we got to Wembley in a semi-final.

"So to lift a trophy would be my main aim.

"We have finished 10th, so to keep playing in the Premier League would be another aim."

Morrison, who played in the UEFA Cup final for Middlesbrough in 2006, believes the Baggies should also target qualification for European football, but he reckons domestic competitions remain their main short-term aims.

Build

He said: "Europe is achievable but, probably, in a couple of years.

"It would be a massive achievement for a club of our size and the fans would love going to all those different places.

"Our target at the moment, with everyone else progressing and spending money, is to stay in the Premier League again and doing well in cups.

"It is a harder league than last year, so our main aim is to stay up and then build from there."

Morrison agreed his new deal after several months of talks with the Baggies and the Scotland international admitted: "It took time. I only had this year and an option year left, so I could have sat it out.

"This is my sixth season, so I could have gone for a new challenge but I see myself being challenged here with the new gaffer and the new players and I'm just glad it's out of the way now because it's a bit stressful.

"It went on from the end of last season."