West Bromich Albion

Davies has surgery on broken foot
West Brom defender Curtis Davies has had surgery on his broken foot. The Baggies skipper was ruled out for the season after fracturing a bone in his left foot during the Championship defeat against Crystal Palace. Boss Tony Mowbray said: "Curtis is fine. The operation went very well and he's been given time off to recuperate. "His personality suggests that even though he is injured he will want to be around. Footballers invariably miss the banter," Mowbray told the club website.

West Brom extend Sodje loan spell
West Bromwich Albion have extended the loan spell of Reading defender Sam Sodje until the end of May. The move means the 28-year-old centre-half will be available for all of the play-off games, should the Baggies secure a top-six finish. Sodje was injured in Saturday's defeat by Sheffield Wednesday but manager Tony Mowbray is not too concerned. "Sam's got a knock on his ankle. He'll hopefully be fine for Burnley in 10 days' time," he told the club website.

MacDonald close to Albion return
Striker Sherjill MacDonald may return to action in West Bromwich Albion's trip to Coventry on Saturday 28 April. The Dutch Under-21 international, on loan from AGOW Apeldoorn, is making a rapid recovery following knee surgery. "He had a small clean-up operation and we hope he'll be putting himself in contention for the Coventry game," boss Tony Mowbray told the club's website. "We have the option of extending Sherjill's loan and the signs are good. He has lots of qualities we like."

Sodje doubtful for Coventry clash
West Brom boss Tony Mowbray says Sam Sodje may not be fit to face Coventry in Saturday's Championship clash at the Ricoh Arena. The 27-year-old defender, currently on-loan from Reading, missed Monday's 3-2 defeat at Burnley with an injury to his ankle. "Sam is still receiving treatment and his ankle is improving," Mowbray told the club's website. "We are hopeful but we are not taking anything for granted."

Mowbray relishes play-off derby
West Brom boss Tony Mowbray is looking forward to meeting Black Country rivals Wolves in the play-offs after the Baggies thrashed Barnsley 7-0. "We have now built up some momentum to take into next weekend," he said. "We will know a lot about Wolves and they will know a lot about us so games like that can be cagey affairs. "Wolves will go into it in a confident mood as well after their great result at Leicester. But over two games the better team should come through." However, he warned: "We have to stay very, very focused. We now have a cup tie to play over two legs. "I have been in three losing play-off teams at Ipswich and it is not a nice feeling when the second game finishes and that is the end of your season." Barnsley manager Simon Davey was disappointed at the margin of the scoreline - but preferred to reflect on their record over the whole season. "It has been a fantastic achievement to stay in the Championship," he said. "I don't want to dampen anything for what they have achieved. But there is a disappointment to be beaten by seven. "It's lucky we didn't have to come here and get a point as West Brom could have had more goals and could do that at any stage to any team in this division."

Derby and West Brom eye big prize
Derby and West Brom go head to head at Wembley on Monday in a Championship play-off final dubbed the £60m match. As well as increasing television money, promotion to the Premiership will boost sales, sponsorship and merchandising. "We have shown we can live with the best this division has to offer and we're looking forward to the battle," said Derby manager Billy Davies. Baggies boss Tony Mowbray added: "Let's hope we've got a hero in the ranks who can step forward and do the business." Derby finished third in the table and booked their Bank Holiday trip to Wembley with a penalty shoot-out victory over Southampton in the play-off semi-finals. Meanwhile, West Brom, who ended the season in fourth spot, beat Midlands rivals Wolves to reach the final and are looking to return to the top flight after a season in the second tier. Henk Potts of Barclays Stockbrokers believes the gulf between the Championship and Premiership is wider than ever and likely to increase, piling further pressure on clubs aiming to reach the top flight. "I think it's fair to say it is simply the biggest money game in football," he stated. "People talk about how important the Champions League is and the fact it is the showcase of European football. The Champions League is for show; the play-off is the big-money game - the dough, so to speak. "And one would suspect that gulf is going to get bigger and bigger as time moves on and we see the effects of the international investment that has gone into a number of Premiership clubs. "It shows if you fall at the final hurdle it has dramatic consequences for your club. It's just going to become harder and harder to get back into it and more money will be required to bridge that gap." Mowbray is concerned by the financial divide between the top two divisions. "The money at stake is massive and I think there is probably a discussion to be had and points to be made about the gulf in money between the Premiership and the Championship," he said. "That debate is for another time though - my job, and the job of my players, is to win a football match. "We cannot allow considerations like that to affect our preparations, which have been the same as they would be for any other game. "It could be an open game because that is the way we play and we are not going to change our philosophy for this match. "There is a lot at stake and that fear sometimes results in a negative game and it's important your big players turn up on the big day. "But we will set out without fear and be positive. We have to go and grasp the reward, not wait for a mistake. "I will give the team the same message I give them every week. "They have got to trust each other's abilities, trust each others jobs and when they go out they have got to look each other in the eye, know they are out there together and try to achieve. "When you win you come in, you throw your sweat-sodden shirts on the floor, get in the bath and celebrate. "You need that camaraderie in the dressing room to know that when you are out on the field you are not only doing it for yourself, you are doing it for your mates and for the team. "That's what football is about - doing it together and achieving together." Honours are even between the sides so far this season. The Rams beat West Brom 2-1 at Pride Park in November but the Baggies hit back with a 1-0 win at The Hawthorns less than a month later. "We have proved this season that we can match them. In our first game, at home, we did not play particularly well but won," conceded Davies. "That was with a very different team from the one we have now. "In the second game at their place, we were very unfortunate to lose 1-0 to a very late goal when we deserved to take something from the match. "It will be an open game because of the teams involved. "They are a very offensive side but we certainly will not be going there to contain or admire them. "We want to contribute to a game of football and we have got players who can hurt them, make life difficult, create chances and score goals. "I'm delighted with the preparation. We will go to enjoy it and give it our best shot. If we play to our best we've got a good opportunity."

Phillips fears West Brom exodus
West Brom striker Kevin Phillips admits his side are likely to lose some star players after their defeat by Derby in the Championship play-off final. Jason Koumas, Diomansy Kamara and Curtis Davies have already been linked with moves away from The Hawthorns. Phillips, 33, told SSB: "I'd like to see all our top players stay but of course that is not going to happen. "There are players who will want to move on but if they do go we will have to replace them with quality." The Baggies managed to keep the majority of their squad together when they were relegated from the Premiership in 2006. But Monday's defeat by the Rams at Wembley could see the break-up of manager Tony Mowbray's side. "I have no idea how many players will be here next season," said Mowbray. "What I do know is that I only want players who want to be here. "You can only achieve if you have got a camaraderie and a spirit and a togetherness about you so, if anyone wants to leave, they know where my office is and we can try to sort out things." Former England striker Phillips agrees it would be difficult to stand in any player's way if they decide to leave. "I know how good some of our players are," added Phillips. "For example, Jason Koumas is a Premiership player and he definitely wants to play there. "I would love to see him here next year - he has been outstanding for us all season, as he was at Wembley too - but we will have to wait and see." Phillips has tasted play-off defeat before when he was part of the Sunderland team that lost to Charlton in the 1998 Championship final. But he admits this latest loss hit him harder as it has come towards the end of his career. "I am more disappointed than I was then because this was probably my last chance of having another crack at the Premiership," explained Phillips. "I knew back then that I was definitely going to play in the Premiership at some stage but now we have got to do it all again next year so it is a bitter blow. "We were the better team on the day and showed why we were favourites but the better team does not always win games and that was the case here. "Derby's captain Matt Oakley said that if we had scored in the second half then we probably would have won the game. "But they have defended exceptionally well and took their chance when it came. Unfortunately we did not."

Phillips and Clement have surgery
West Brom pair Kevin Phillips and Neil Clement have undergone minor operations on ankle problems. Striker Phillips and defender Clement went under the knife ahead of their summer break in order to be fully fit for next season. And West Brom manager Tony Mowbray confirmed on the club's website: "It is nothing serious. "Both Kevin and Clem have had clean-up operations. They should both be ready during pre-season."

West Brom keen on French defender
West Brom are hoping to sign French central defender Gregory Arnolin from Portugal side Maritimo. The player's agent, Rudi Vata, has held discussions with West Brom boss Tony Mowbray regarding a possible move for the 26-year-old. Vata said: "Mowbray is on holiday just now but I am optimistic the move will go through." West Brom may suffer from a player exodus, with Curtis Davies and Diomansy Kamara linked with a move away.

WBA reject Kamara and Koumas bids
West Brom have rejected bids from Fulham and Birmingham City for Diomansy Kamara and midfielder Jason Koumas. The Baggies rejected a £3m offer from Birmingham for striker Kamara on Monday and are understood to have turned down a renewed £5m offer for the pair. Fulham made a cash-plus-players bid for the duo, but that was also rebuffed. But Kamara's agent Willie McKay told BBC Sport: "That's not the end of it. A host of clubs are interested and Kamara wants to play in the Premiership." He added: "(West Brom manager) Tony Mowbray has come out and said he does want players who do not want to be there and Diomansy has been honest with him and the chairman in saying he wants to go. "He's still got two years on his contract at West Brom so we will have to wait and see "I'm expecting a lot of approaches to be honest. He had a great season last term, scoring 23 goals and he wants to step back into the Premiership. "I'm in touch with (chairman) Jeremy Peace and we all know where we're going. As far as we're concerned, as long as the club get a decent price, Diomansy won't be there next season." Peace has previously admitted finances could force player sales this summer. "We are in our last year of parachute payments from the Premiership and our aim for the next season has to be promotion - it is the same aspiration as last season but it is not the last fling of the dice," he said. "We have effectively got two years to get out of the Championship because we have got value in the squad and if we were to sell players, it would effectively give us an extra year beyond this season's parachute payment." In 2005 the Baggies paid £1.5m to Italian side Modena to bring Kamara, who previously had been on loan at Portsmouth, back to England.

Fulham sign Kamara from West Brom
Fulham have won the race to sign Diomansy Kamara from West Brom. The Cottagers have paid £6m for the 26-year-old striker, who has agreed a four-year deal. Kamara asked for a transfer after West Brom's play-off final loss and was also thought to be a West Ham target. Fulham boss Lawrie Sanchez said: "His pace will get him in good situations and there's no doubt about the quality of his finishing." Kamara follows Northern Ireland duo Steven Davis and Aaron Hughes to Craven Cottage as part of Sanchez's summer spending spree. The striker had unproductive spells with Portsmouth and West Brom in the top flight, but Sanchez insists he has faith in the Senegal international. "Any player you take up from the Championship is a gamble," he said. "He was at Portsmouth and it didn't work out for him but he has had a couple of great seasons with West Brom and now has a chance to step back up to the Premiership. "Any player that comes to English football finds it a shock to the system, but having had two years of it, it is now a chance to step up and prove himself at this level." Kamara scored 23 goals as the Baggies reached the Championship play-offs last season. He told Fulham's website: "It was a disappointing end to my time at West Brom when we did not gain promotion, but I am certain they will achieve that, hopefully next season. "When the opportunity to sign for Fulham came up, it was just a question of making sure we could agree everything and I'm delighted that is finally done, and I can concentrate on next season, back in the Premiership." West Brom initially rejected Kamara's transfer request but decided to accept a club-record offer for Kamara, as well as Wigan's £5.3m bid for Jason Koumas. "We have said all along we will only consider selling players like Diomansy and Jason if we receive head-turning offers and that the deals are in the club's best interests," he told the West Brom website. "We feel these offers mirror those criteria."

Baggies complete Tininho signing
West Brom have completed the capture of left-back Tininho from Portuguese club Beira Mar for £230,000. Mozambique-born Tininho, 26, signs after a successful trial and follows Filipe Teixeira as the Baggies' second import from Portugal in a week. Baggies boss Tony Mowbray said: "Tininho's got a nice left foot, is a decent athlete and a good personality. "Like Filipe, he'll need time to adjust but there's enough raw material there for him to make a positive impact." Tininho played in every 1 Divisao match last season, making 30 appearances, including one as a substitute.

West Brom keen to recruit Miller
West Brom boss Tony Mowbray is set to sign Manchester City striker Ishmael Miller on a season-long loan. The 20-year-old has come through the City youth ranks but has not scored in 20 senior appearances. Mowbray told West Brom's website: "Ishmael is a young player who has been on the fringes at Man City in a difficult period for their club. "He'd play as a striker if we managed to bring him in and he would offer different assets to what we have."

Cup progression delights Mowbray
Manager Tony Mowbray was delighted to see West Brom progress in the League Cup with Tuesday's win at Peterborough. Zoltan Gera and Nathan Ellington scored their first goals of the season to ease the Baggies to a comfortable 2-0 win. "You've got to score goals when you're on top and we did that. I'm delighted to be in the hat," Mowbray said. "We had to defend our box late on because they put a lot of high balls in and we always looked a threat going the other way so I'm happy enough."

Villa in talks with WBA's Davies
Championship side West Brom have given Aston Villa permission to open talks with centre-half Curtis Davies. The talented 22-year-old had a transfer request turned down by West Brom in June, but the Hawthorns club did suggest they would be open to offers. "We've given Curtis permission to speak to Villa but it is not concluded and is ongoing," said WBA boss Tony Mowbray. "Curtis hasn't contributed at all for us this season and, if he goes, we'll get on with what we've been doing." Villa have long been linked with a move for the former Luton star, who is desperate to move back to the Premiership. Davies has also attracted the attentions of Spurs and a fee anywhere in between £8m-£15m has been touted for his services. West Brom, who lost in the Championship play-off final to Derby in May, have already seen stars Jason Koumas and Diomansy Kamara leave the club.

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