Ally Robertson: No need for panic at West Brom
Baggies legend Ally Robertson says it’s far too early in the summer to be panicking.
Albion only have 14 senior outfield players on the books and one of them is Callum McManaman, who head coach Tony Pulis wants to sell.
The club has lost Darren Fletcher and released Sebastien Pocognoli this summer after selling Craig Gardner and Saido Berahino in January.
Jake Livermore is the only addition of 2017 so far, but the transfer window doesn’t officially open until July 1, and Robertson is staying positive.
“It’s too early to be panicking,” said the former centre-half, who is second on the club’s all-time appearance charts. “If it’s a week before the season starts and we’ve bought nobody, then we can panic.
"At the moment, there will be plenty of things going on behind closed doors.”
However, Robertson says the need for additions has grown in recent weeks.
“We’ve got rid of three or four players, so all of a sudden we need more," he said. "It was a minimum of three, but now we need five. A full back, a midfielder, a couple of front, and a centre-half.
“McAuley is coming to the age where an injury at the start of the season could put him out. Dawson could come in there but we’re down to basics.
Fans had hoped for early business this summer but Pulis has a reputation for enjoying the madcap rush towards the end of the window. However, Robertson reckons financial bargaining is the reason behind the dithering.
“It looks like that’s what he loves to do,” said Robertson. “To be fair to Tony, he knows he’s got to try and get the best he can with the money he’s got.
“He’s proven over the past few years he’s capable of getting very good players in, even if it is late on.
“If we’re down to a squad of 13, he knows he needs players. I would trust him, because you can see how he’s built the team over the past three years.”
This is the first summer under new owner Guochuan Lai following his £175million takeover last August, but the Chinese businessman is not ploughing huge amounts of funds into the club.
And so Robertson expects the Baggies to continue with the same transfer strategy based on gradual growth.
“The new owners have said they’re not throwing in any big money, so I don’t think it’s going to be any different to what we’ve already had,” said the 64-year-old. “We’ll stay in our comfort zone. We can’t get players who are also interesting those in the top seven.”
