West Brom's Carlos Corberan reveals pre-game irritation and hits back at Southampton pitch claims
Irritated boss Carlos Corberan hit out at Southampton's logistics and planning as Albion's team bus was delayed before defeat at St Mary's – but refused to use that or re-sizing of pitchside advertisements as an excuse.
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The Baggies' Wembley play-off dream crushed to a halt in the second leg of the play-off semi-final with a comprehensive 3-1 defeat that sees Southampton face Leeds in next weekend's final.
Russell Martin's hosts scored three second-half goals to take the contest away from Corberan's men following a stalemate at The Hawthorns.
Corberan admitted the best side won through and deservedly so, but was left deeply unhappy with things that went against the visitors at St Mary's, notably how the away team bus was kept waiting for 15 minutes for the squad to enter the stadium. The Albion head coach had to find a way for Albion to finally enter the ground's perimeter, as thousands of Saints fans congregated outside.
"I think the way we came to the stadium today was not the right way," Corberan said. "We were waiting in the bus for 15 minutes to find the entrance to the pitch, I don't know why nobody could coordinate and help us follow normal protocol.
"I didn't expect this. I think it shouldn't have happened. We arrived 95 minutes before the game but in the end we could only go in the dressing room 80 to 75 minutes before the game.
"Is it an excuse? Zero. But the level of protocols in these kind of finals has to be according to the level of football we represent.
