1

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Where Are They Now - 23/24

« on: Yesterday at 08:32:27 AM »

Kipre is a real miss out of all of them - his ability to move forward with the ball and play a pass through midfield really has been missed.

We've found our midfielders have to come deeper to collect possession (or the John Swift experiment) largely because neither Bartley, Ajayi, Heggem or Holgate are good enough with the ball at their feet.

2

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: Yesterday at 08:20:54 AM »

Can someone explain the hype about Mason to me. On the surface, it looks like Spurs are coached terribly. They are a complete shambles. I must be missing something?

I agree - I'm interested to know what the clamour is regarding Mason.

3

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL CHAMPIONSHIP THREAD

« on: Yesterday at 08:19:03 AM »

But apparently it was our players fault?

This isn't a binary issue.

There's a collective group at fault for us not getting into the play offs.

And despite our comments regarding Bristol City - our appalling run of form from September onwards quite frankly didn't deserve the play offs.

4

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: System / Tactics / Personnel

« on: May 08, 2025, 02:44:50 PM »

Who would be in favour of keeping Semi for 1 more year if we could ship out Bartley?

Its great hypothetically but Ajayi has missed a considerable amount of this season due to injuries and given that its not something I would be favour of offering an extension too.

Equally from a squad point of view we run into another issue next year as Taylor and Heggem would be our only recognised centre backs given you'd think Bartley and Ajayi would be leaving us.

5

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: May 08, 2025, 01:17:52 PM »

Surely if you allow someone to post something you must allow others to respond to it?

Yes - members can - but we're not going to have the Corberan v Mowbray debate in this thread when there are other places on the forum for that.

The point that Stan made is a perfectly valid one in terms of that the playing squad have had two different approaches and neither have worked glowingly this season therefore the attention needs to be a defined style with a squad to build around it rather than falling from one to the other.

6

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: May 06, 2025, 04:45:18 PM »

I would imagine Watford will be shopping in similar places to us for a manager. It’s becoming a competitive market

I am not sure they will be personally - think there appointment will be much a continental one.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: April 30, 2025, 09:58:59 AM »

Cifuentes to Norwich instead? 

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: April 29, 2025, 10:34:00 PM »

Anyone citing Big Dave must have forgetting the disaster under him at Sheffield Wednesday.

Disaster? My word 

You’ve accused the forums most respected poster as talking hot air in another thread and now you’ve resorted to posting this. This is as bad as your Stoke shout.

Whilst I’m not advocating for his appointment, If you think his tenure at Hillsborough was a disaster then I’m lost for words.

9

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: April 29, 2025, 01:21:13 PM »

Our poll makes Steve Cooper an overwhelming fans favourite. Realistically he is someone who will demand wages well above what the two previous incumbents were paid. If however he ticks all of our boxes then we should go all out and try and get him. To quote the old adage “You get what you pay for””.

I don't think its remotely realistic either - his stock is still high and he will no doubt hang around for a club with aspirations of promotion or one of those newly promoted clubs hanging around the bottom of the premier league.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: April 29, 2025, 11:19:50 AM »

Don't you think that we're too parochial?
Let's cast our net much wider,not a rush job atm

A lot of this planning should have started weeks if not months ago.

11

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: April 28, 2025, 08:11:35 PM »

I think an awful lot of Albion fans are going to experience quite a bit of disappointment when the appointment is eventually announced.

12

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Darnell Furlong

« on: April 28, 2025, 08:06:45 PM »

Rumours on twitter (X) that QPR are interested in taking him back

Wonderful news. Get him gone.

13

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: WBA NEW OWNERS - Bilkul football

« on: April 27, 2025, 09:37:35 PM »

It’s really simple, we were unable to score more than a goal a game. That means you don’t win very often.

You keep calling it simple and that might well be the case but the main reasons for our lack of goals are widespread within the team and are going to take some clever recruitment to fix. The midfield needs a complete overhaul.

14

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: April 27, 2025, 09:33:25 PM »

Interesting to see many QPR fans referring to us as a basket case club 

They wouldn’t have been too far wrong really - especially in recent times.

It’s not a lucrative job to take on given some of the issues we have.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: April 27, 2025, 05:52:06 PM »

Sky Sports News
@SkySportsNews
Sky Sports News understands the representatives of QPR Head Coach Marti Cifuentes have held talks this week with another Championship club over becoming their boss next season 🚨

I have my fingers crossed that this is us.

Sky Sports now confirming that the club is us.

16

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL LEAGUE 1 and LEAGUE 2 THREAD

« on: April 27, 2025, 11:18:31 AM »

Delighted for Darren Moore. Back to back promotions for him now.

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Last Match Forum - 26/04 Cardiff City (A) / Re: After Match Debate

« on: April 27, 2025, 11:17:48 AM »

A round of applause for Heggem and Griffiths and a shaking of my head to the others.

18

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: April 24, 2025, 09:08:54 AM »

I know WBArgo got his team wrong when he was talking about Farke getting the chop at Leeds but I've heard the same rumours.

If he were to lose his job and not go to PL with them, would he be a good option for us?

Not really - he's a promotion expert in this division.

If I was Southampton or Leicester I would just be waiting patiently until Leeds eventually press the button.

19

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: April 23, 2025, 11:07:24 PM »

Are you sure about Stoke?
Since Pulls left in 2013 they've had 9 managers and 6 caretakers.
Or 9 since 2020 if that looks better😃

They have had 3 managers and 2 caretakers this season alone but at least they’re backing them and not proving to be hot heads.

20

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Next Albion Head Coach

« on: April 23, 2025, 09:20:08 PM »

Cifuentes had had a bust up/break down of relationship at QPR with chief executive Christian Nourry and is ready to quit - The Sun

Yes please!

21

Last Match Forum - 26/04 Cardiff City (A) / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: April 23, 2025, 12:49:32 PM »

I wouldn't worry too much on that score, last away win was when?

Remembrance Sunday.

5 months without an away win. Pathetic.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: WBA social Media

« on: April 23, 2025, 10:53:35 AM »

I don’t blame them to be honest. I can only speak for Twitter but when they put happy birthday posts on there they were met with a barrage of abuse.

I did think it was a bit silly of the club to be promoting the kit deals for the likes of John Swift and Grady Diangana.

Talk about reading the room.

Quite frankly, unless the club are announcing the departure of some of those senior players I'd rather them remain silent.

23

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Kyle Bartley

« on: April 23, 2025, 10:51:41 AM »

I agree with you, but how? I can't see many realistic options to be honest. He has a contract, which I can't see the club being willing to pay up, and I can't envisage any other club being willing to take him and pay him more than we are, or offer him a longer contract. If none of these happen, he will just sit tight I imagine.

I would happily sign one player less this summer if it meant paying him off.

The culture needs to change at this football club.

The club requires players who want to work hard to better themselves, be better people, be better players. An Isaac Price a Tobjorn Heggem.

Bartley and his lack of accountability, his attitude towards others and his constant arm waving are nothing but a stain on this club.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tony Mowbray sacked

« on: April 23, 2025, 10:06:43 AM »

Chris Hall states on his podcast that Mowbray was referring to his time at Sunderland with respect to this rather than at Albion and speaking in a broader sense about what managers sometimes have to deal with.

I think this is more likely - though quite why Mowbray needed to reference it is beyond me.

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc/tony-mowbray-reveals-team-selection-disagreements-at-sunderland-under-kristjaan-speakman-4872406

And I would expect any competent sporting director to be having a conversation with the head coach around why players are not featuring or have not been selected. It is at that point the sporting director needs to be clear on whether these players don't feature into the coaches plans and therefore look to move them on accordingly or identify what the coaches vision is so players can be recruited in line with this. .

I would expect a weekly meeting between Nestor and Mowbray. And I would have assumed player attitudes, their training regimes, the players physical condition and what the plan is for the forthcoming week to be discussed aswell as reflection on the previous matchday. If that doesn't work for Mowbray then it is clear he and Nestor are not aligned and that his departure is better for the club in the long term.

25

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Tony Mowbray sacked

« on: April 23, 2025, 07:06:33 AM »

Well he clearly knew he was off and used his press conference to fire his shots. No wonder he was sacked moments after it.