[Signor_Maresca]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/08/08/ben-foster-excited-psychology-wattbikes-3pm-buzz/amp

decent read on why he left.

The Jenkins toxicity factor is well and truly back.

[alex1]

Must admit I was gutted to see Foster leave, not just because he's still one of the top 3-4 keepers in the country, but because he's the sort of character you need behind the defence. He was clearly important as a guy who could organise and had a natural authority. From what he said, I also thought he was about as close as you could get to being a clubman in the modern era, with his kids being West Brom fans and he being so attached to the Midlands.
But it seems like he would have stayed, if it were not for what was happening behind the scenes at the club. No doubt we shall learn more. If it boiled down to the club deciding to take on Johnston and push Myhill out, then on this occasion I think they got it badly wrong. Normally, I don't believe in player power, but in Foster we had much more than just a damned good keeper. 

[seteefeet]

Been told off for discussing on a different thread (James Tavernier) but would like to answer a point made so moved on to here.
In his recent interview Foster mentioned "stuff going on behind the scenes" but left it as a vague accusation without any substance. "I don't want to get into it". Well why mention it then?.
This leads me to believe he was just trying to justify his jumping ship following the " I'm staying" " My kids are baggies" comments. I really think his move had nothing to do with anything other than money and his inability to face competition from a younger, fitter keeper. Once he knew his old mucka "I'm happy to sit on the bench" Myhill was going he knew he would be challenged and didn't like it one bit.
Yes there have been job losses but does anyone really believe that this was key to his departure???

[Foster#1]

I still think Job losses he could of meant releasing McAuley, myhill & McAuley. All close friends and all had contracts but didn't get extended. That is a "job loss"

[Hull Baggie]

Been told off for discussing on a different thread (James Tavernier) but would like to answer a point made so moved on to here.
In his recent interview Foster mentioned "stuff going on behind the scenes" but left it as a vague accusation without any substance. "I don't want to get into it". Well why mention it then?.
This leads me to believe he was just trying to justify his jumping ship following the " I'm staying" " My kids are baggies" comments. I really think his move had nothing to do with anything other than money and his inability to face competition from a younger, fitter keeper. Once he knew his old mucka "I'm happy to sit on the bench" Myhill was going he knew he would be challenged and didn't like it one bit.
Yes there have been job losses but does anyone really believe that this was key to his departure???

of course he was trying to justify why he left that was the whole reason for the interview!

[The Joust]

I still think Job losses he could of meant releasing McAuley, myhill & McAuley. All close friends and all had contracts but didn't get extended. That is a "job loss"

Mate, sorry but no, you're wide off if you think he meant those players leaving as 'Job losses'

[boinging_along]

Like I said, calling the release of players "job losses" is a weird phrasing.  Maybe it could have been though, can't rule it out.

As for believing it was key to his departure, I can only go on what he says - if we start saying 'well he's lying about that' then how do believe anything that anyone says?  I think it was a mixture of that and the chance of playing in the Prem again. 

One thing about Foster is that he's always been pretty straight up, if it was just the chance of playing in the Prem and for Watford again I'm sure he would have just said that.  He knows that him leaving will have annoyed the fans anyway, saying there's stuff going on behind the scenes isn't going to soften the blow at all.

The "why mention it" thing was down to him just being asked in an interview, 'why did you leave?'.  He gave his reasons and didn't want to get into detail.

[seteefeet]

of course he was trying to justify why he left that was the whole reason for the interview!

The theme of the interview was psychology.

[Foster#1]

Who has lost jobs ? Still same faces in club shop & ticket office...
The only losses are the players, Williams and a few others

[Foster#1]

He 100% for me was speaking about senior figures who was no longer at the club

[SmethDan]

Been told off for discussing on a different thread (James Tavernier) but would like to answer a point made so moved on to here.
In his recent interview Foster mentioned "stuff going on behind the scenes" but left it as a vague accusation without any substance. "I don't want to get into it". Well why mention it then?.
This leads me to believe he was just trying to justify his jumping ship following the " I'm staying" " My kids are baggies" comments. I really think his move had nothing to do with anything other than money and his inability to face competition from a younger, fitter keeper. Once he knew his old mucka "I'm happy to sit on the bench" Myhill was going he knew he would be challenged and didn't like it one bit.
Yes there have been job losses but does anyone really believe that this was key to his departure???

I think he may have been referring to losses in the medical/physio department. Let's face it, he probably used them more on a day to day basis than most but wouldn't want to go into too much detail as to just how much having recently signed for Watford. As his new club they have a responsibility to be aware of his requirements, but how would their insurers or supporters react if he went into protracted detail?

The doc's gone to Forest and I'd imagine (although I don't know) that a few members of his team will have joined him. Whether enough replacements have been brought in or are up to the job is anyone's guess and only time will tell. It's also worth remembering that a club which has placed great stock on it's training ground over the years (club culture?) withdrew funding for a £250,000 upgrade of facilities. We also have a new head of fitness whom he may or not think is up to the mark. Ie, Foster may feel the player's day to work environment had been negatively affected.

I don't know any of this for sure and I'm just speculating, but I think it's a more likely scenario than him being in a state of grief due to Beryl the tea lady having to serve broken biscuits alongside her selection of tasty beverages.

[Hull Baggie]

The theme of the interview was psychology.

not really. the headline for the interview was "Ben Foster has broken his silence on why he left West Brom". No mention of psychology in the interview at all. he was simply trying to justify why he left.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ben-foster-broken-silence-left-15003849

[seteefeet]

not really. the headline for the interview was "Ben Foster has broken his silence on why he left West Brom". No mention of psychology in the interview at all. he was simply trying to justify why he left.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ben-foster-broken-silence-left-15003849

Think we are looking two different things mate. The one i referred to was from a link posted by boingflyer, earlier in the thread, entitled " Ben Foster excited by psychology, Wattbikes and the 3pm buzz"

[Hull Baggie]

Think we are looking two different things mate. The one i referred to was from a link posted by boingflyer, earlier in the thread, entitled " Ben Foster excited by psychology, Wattbikes and the 3pm buzz"

Ah sorry, that explains it then. I didn't see the post you were referring to.

[HampshireBaggie]

If players at the club are not happy with ‘job losses’ then maybe they shouldn’t have put us in a position where we lose half of our income?

If any business lost its main contract, and replaced it with one 50% of the size with a 2 year time limit, there would be redundancies.

[Mr Cynical]

I also think that we removed a number of people from their positions in the scouting department and the 'performance' department too.  I don't think that the scouts would have had that much contact with Foster, but the performance department could contain performance (data) analysts and maybe psychologists and maybe specialists such as recovery?  I'm guessing really.  My opinion is that the move is about two things - one last big payday, and the demand of playing minimum 48 games as a championship club... with dodgy knees.

Another thing that may be affecting his mind set is that (since the end of the season) he has given up on turning the place he bought in Stratford into what he envisaged, and moved into a rental place just outside Leamington.  (Whilst they find the place they want to live long term.)  The lack of 'security' of your own base may lead you to making different decisions than if you had one - and we all know that Foster is 'home' orientated.

[BigFrank20]

Is anyone actually missing him?
Some of the comments on the post match thread made me think no we are not missing him at all. No more interminable hoofs up the pitch to come straight back, no more at times embarrassing time wasting and so far not really missed his undoubted shot stopping ability
A new era has rearly dawned at the Baggies methinks

[boinging_along]

We miss him massively.  I get that his kicking wasn't great, neither is Johnstone's though. I doubt he'd be time wasting this season seeing as we are one of the stronger teams and under new management. We certainly are missing his shot stopping, we've conceded a few goals this season where I thought the keeper should have done better. We also miss his organisation and his ability to handle crosses.

I'm not saying Johnstone is terrible, his throwing out is better than Fosters and, probably most important of all, he's a LOT younger, but it's clear to me that Foster is the better keeper.  We'd have to move on from Foster someday though, so it may as well have been now.

[Chipperfan]

Is anyone actually missing him?
Some of the comments on the post match thread made me think no we are not missing him at all. No more interminable hoofs up the pitch to come straight back, no more at times embarrassing time wasting and so far not really missed his undoubted shot stopping ability
A new era has rearly dawned at the Baggies methinks

Foster’s time wasting began the day Pulis walked into the Hawthorns. That particular finger can’t be pointed at him whatever the truth about how he left us. He was just doing what he was instructed to do.

[Blowee]

Is anyone actually missing him?
Some of the comments on the post match thread made me think no we are not missing him at all. No more interminable hoofs up the pitch to come straight back, no more at times embarrassing time wasting and so far not really missed his undoubted shot stopping ability
A new era has rearly dawned at the Baggies methinks

Wasn't Johnson booked for time wasting against Bristol City?

[ex coseley kid]

Foster’s time wasting began the day Pulis walked into the Hawthorns. That particular finger can’t be pointed at him whatever the truth about how he left us. He was just doing what he was instructed to do.

I do tend to agree with this.

Foster was for the most part ace for us. I miss him and wish him well.

[liverbaggie]

He was the best keeper in my opinion,thanks for that,but went down in my estimation with the way he left.

[elkiellis]

I think Fosters reasons for leaving us are absolute rubbish,i would have respected him more if he had just said he wanted to remain playing in the premier league,instead of making up vague comments to justify his move to Watford of course of which he had to do especially after making out he and is family were practically Albion fans,having said this he is probably the best keeper ive seen at the Albion,and ive seen everyone from John Osbourne onwards

[alex1]

I do miss Foster because he was a character who helped galvinise the defence together and he was local to the region. I think its important to have a few Midlanders at the core of the club to connect better with the fanbase. 

[smosher34]

He's a snake. Great keeper but refusing to go on pre season forcing a move. Nah did it for me hero to zero in weeks,