Lewis Cox brings you the latest from Tony Mowbray's pre-match press conference - as he prepares for his first home game back in charge against Portsmouth.
The Baggies boss will make his second Hawthorns bow on Saturday - and has been speaking to the press this morning.
Lewis brings you the latest from that press conference, as he discussed Kyle Bartley and gave an update on long term absentee Daryl Dike.
He also spoke for the first time on Isaac Price, following his arrival at the club earlier this week.
The Baggies boss will make his second Hawthorns bow on Saturday - and has been speaking to the press this morning.
Lewis brings you the latest from that press conference, as he discussed Kyle Bartley and gave an update on long term absentee Daryl Dike.
He also spoke for the first time on Isaac Price, following his arrival at the club earlier this week.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Good morning from a very blustery Albion training ground in Walsall.
00:07Bright and early start this morning, we met with Tony Mowbray at 9am for his pre-Quartermaster press conference.
00:13Of course the bag is back at the Hawthorns tomorrow for the visit of Pompey.
00:17Big day for Tony Mowbray really, back in the home dugout at the Hawthorns for the first time.
00:22Obviously since his departure all those years ago, and I know he's been back in the away dugout hasn't he,
00:28and he's been back for a charity game or whatnot, but this is the real thing tomorrow.
00:32He's really looking forward to it, you can sense that.
00:36Obviously he knows the position Albion are in, the lack of wins really for some number of months now.
00:42I read a stat after Borough away the other night, it's four wins in 24 games,
00:46which is phenomenal really that Albion are still right there for the play-off hunt,
00:52such as the struggle of clubs around that position I think this season generally.
00:56But he knows Albion, if they are to sustain a challenge for those positions,
01:00which of course is the club's target, they have to start winning games,
01:04and saying it quietly, the run of fixtures ahead is on paper anyway,
01:09and you look at the league table, relatively kind.
01:12So an opportunity to start picking up points beginning tomorrow,
01:16as I say we'll be there with all the coverage.
01:18Just in terms of team news from today's presser,
01:21Tony gave an update on, you'll be able to read all of these on the Expressenstar website by the way,
01:25Tony gave an update on Kyle Bartley, vice-skipper who's missed a few games now with a minor calf issue.
01:31He should be back in and around training properly from Monday,
01:34so won't be involved tomorrow, which is of course a blow,
01:37but hopefully with a week of training, next week he'll be good to go at Plymouth,
01:41a week tomorrow down in Devon.
01:44Beyond that, what have we got?
01:46We had a bit of an update on Dawoud Ike, getting on for a year now since he last kicked the ball in anger,
01:52which is obviously so difficult for him.
01:55Shemmy Ajayi just arrived in the training ground to the side of me there.
01:58But yeah, DK making progress again, and I know I've said that for a good while now,
02:04but the striker has been back in training, back on the grass as Mowbray put it,
02:08and just working with obviously the coaching staff, the new head coach,
02:12but the medical and sports sciences team as well, not to overload him,
02:15they're using the data.
02:17Tony, I think, gave us a bit of a point plan on DK for his load this week, then his load next week,
02:24and I get the impression we probably won't see him at Plymouth a week tomorrow,
02:28but the weekend after that there's a home game at the Hawthorns,
02:32I think February 8th against Sheffield Wednesday.
02:34Don't know for sure, but is that one they're pencilling after a couple of weeks training from now?
02:38Let's see. That would of course be a big boost.
02:41I think obviously Josh Madger's out for some time, he's undergone an off on the leg injury he sustained recently,
02:48so will be a little while yet.
02:50But that aside, obviously we've got a new face to look forward to at the Hawthorns tomorrow,
02:55that's Isaac Price, the midfielder, brought in from Belgium from Standard Liège this week.
03:00So intrigued to see what he's about.
03:02Tony had a lot of glowing things to say actually about the Northern Ireland International,
03:05so you'll be able to read all those online.
03:07He won't start tomorrow, Price, as Tony said, more likely to come in as a substitute
03:12and hopefully influence the game in that way.
03:14But really interesting presser with Tony and we'll have lots to bring you from it.
03:18Really looking forward to his press conferences generally
03:22and how open and honest he is about all manner of subjects.
03:26He's not afraid to talk on many different things, really fascinating stuff.
03:31As he gets to learn the squad he's inherited, hear the players he's inherited,
03:35as he's said over the last couple of days, he's been able to train more with those that haven't been playing
03:40because obviously the first-teamers per se have been recovering from Borussia.
03:43So he's been talking about Diakite, about Rakic, about Frabata, Devante Cole.
03:48He's learning on the job, isn't he?
03:50Because they haven't played much football at all this season.
03:53Interesting times certainly, but a winnable game tomorrow at the Hawthorns
03:56where hopefully it's a decent atmosphere and a massive reception for the new head coach.
04:01So tune in tomorrow, we'll be there with all of the coverage from the Hawthorns,
04:05Albion v. Pompey and all the build-up as well from it.
04:08And obviously the reaction, expressandstart.com.