Kevin Phillips: Empty grounds ‘may aid West Brom’
Kevin Phillips believes matches being staged behind closed doors will have an impact on results – but the retired striker feels Albion may actually benefit.
The Baggies look set to resume their Championship campaign later this month with Slaven Bilic’s side having nine games to win a spot in the Premier League. All those matches will be played without supporters in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Baggies favourite Phillips, who fired the club to promotion in 2008, believes players could struggle for motivation without fans in the stands.
But with a place in the Premier League at stake, he doesn’t feel Bilic’s side will lack any hunger.
“I think playing behind closed doors is going to impact the game in various ways,” Phillips said.
“Of course there is a massive impact on the clubs financially.
“But from a player’s point of view, when you are growing up you want to be a footballer to prove you are good enough and so that you can showcase your skills. Playing in front of fans, in an atmosphere like you get at The Hawthorns, is what it’s all about.
“It is absolutely huge that Albion have something to play for.
“For 37 games they have been excellent. They are on the brink of promotion and they will want to get the job done. They are going to be motivated. But when you are playing for a team with nothing to play for and there is no crowd watching – I think there will be some players who think ‘what’s the point?’
“That’s going to affect your performance.”
As well as making opposition teams less motivated, Phillips feels playing without fans may help Albion when it comes to the final few games of the campaign.
“When you walk out on that pitch knowing promotion is within touching distance you do feel pressure,” he continued.
“They know they have to go out and get the job done and get over the line.
“But without supporters there they may just be able to relax a little bit more and play their own game. And if they are relaxed their quality will come through.”
Meanwhile, Albion received no positive coronavirus tests in the latest batch of results published at the weekend. It was revealed 10 people from eight second tier clubs were found to have Covid-19 in the tests.
