West Bromich Albion

Baggies reveal Luyindula interest
West Brom boss Tony Mowbray has confirmed an interest in Paris St Germain striker Peguy Luyindula. The 29-year-old French international is one of a number of January targets for the Premier League's bottom club. "I think Luyindula is a player who's been mentioned with a few different clubs," Mowbray told BBC WM. "I think it's probably coming more from Paris who are looking to maybe move him on, but he's a player we've talked about and looked at." The former Strasbourg, Lyon and Marseille striker has scored more than 100 goals in France's Ligue 1, enjoyed a brief spell in the Spanish League with Levante, and has won four caps for his country, scoring once. "He played against Manchester City this year in the group stages of the Uefa Cup," Mowbray noted. "I would have to put it down at this moment as just another player, another name to put down as speculation." The Baggies boss has also clarified the level of his interest in Benfica striker Ariza Makukula, who is reportedly on the verge of a loan move to the Black Country. "Makukula is a big, strong, powerful boy, to be fair," said Mowbray. "He's played for Portugal, an international team with some pretty special footballers. "His pedigree is good and he's got a physical presence about him, which at times I think our team needs. "We can pass the ball around and look a nice team without really having that punch up front to put teams to the sword, and he might bring a bit of that for us." Makukula is visiting the Hawthorns this week as the Baggies gauge his match fitness and begin discussing personal terms.

West Brom hit by Greening injury
West Brom captain Jonathan Greening will be out of action for four to six weeks after a scan revealed medial ligament damage to his left knee. The 30-year-old midfielder suffered the injury in the FA Cup match against Burnley last weekend. "Since I walked into the place two years or so ago, Jonathan has been our most influential footballer," said Baggies boss Tony Mowbray. "Him being out for any time is a big blow to us." The former Manchester United and Middlesbrough player, who joined the club in 2004, has been an ever-present for West Brom in the Premier League this season. The Baggies are bottom of the Premier League table on goal difference, one of five teams level on 21 points in a desperately tight relegation battle. Greening is the latest player to join a lengthy injury list that already includes Ishmael Miller, Neil Clement, Ryan Donk, Leon Barnett, Jonas Olsson, Abdoulaye Meite, James Morrison, Luke Moore and Craig Beattie.

Miller pens long-term Albion deal
Striker Ishmael Miller has signed a contract extension with West Bromwich Albion even though he is not expected to be fit until the new year. The 22-year-old former Manchester City youngster has been out for the past 10 months with a knee injury sustained against Portsmouth last December. And he is not on course to return until the final few months of this season. But he has now signed a new, improved five-year deal, keeping him at The Hawthorns until June 2014. "This is a massive boost for the club," Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo told the club website. "Ishmael is still going to be out for a while. "But he has got all the attributes required to be a top striker. And he will be a big help to us when he does return. "Obviously, Ishmael hasn't played for a while so it's good to see the club supporting him in this way. This new contract shows everyone has a lot of faith in him." Miller, who initially joined Albion on a season-long loan in August 2007 before completing a permanent £900,000 switch four months later, has made 55 appearances for Albion, scoring 19 goals. He scored 16 times help the Baggies to the Championship title. And Miller then added three more in the Premier League prior to suffering his cruciate knee ligament injury in a collision with England keeper David James late in on a 1-1 draw against Portsmouth at The Hawthorns. Miller required further surgery this summer but his rehabilitation is now reported to be progressing well.

West Brom manager Di Matteo defends Olsson omission
West Brom boss Roberto Di Matteo has explained his decision to leave out defender Jonas Olsson for their Premier League opener at Chelsea on Saturday. Olsson was a regular in Albion's promotion-winning season, starting 43 Championship games for the Baggies. But Di Matteo decided to pair Gabriel Tamas with new signing Pablo Ibanez for the 6-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge. He told WM: "It was difficult because Jonas is a good player, but the other two have a bit more experience." Albion made the worst possible start to the season on their return to the English top flight, succumbing to a Didier Drogba hat-trick, a brace from Florent Malouda and another goal from Frank Lampard. Nicky Shorey, who signed from Aston Villa in the days leading up to the match, was also left out of the starting line-up. Di Matteo is hopeful that the squad can erase a heavy defeat from their minds and concentrate on their next game, which is at home to Sunderland on Saturday. "We need to take it game by game, not get too down when we lose and not get too upbeat when we win," added the former MK Dons boss.

West Brom part company with manager Roberto Di Matteo
West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo has been relieved of his duties and put on gardening leave with immediate effect. The Baggies lost 3-0 at Manchester City on Saturday and the club gave the side's run of 13 defeats in 18 games as the reason to end Di Matteo's reign. "This has been a tough decision," said West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace. "But we, as a board, believe it is the right one to give the club the best possible chance of remaining in the Premier League." Former Chelsea midfielder Di Matteo took over at The Hawthorns in June 2009 and led the Midlands club to promotion last season. The side lost 6-0 to Chelsea in their opening game of the campaign but recovered to lose only twice in their first nine games, which included a 3-2 win at Arsenal and a fighting comeback to draw 2-2 at Manchester United. West Brom even briefly moved into a top-four spot after beating Fulham in October but their results have dipped badly in recent months and they are only two points off the relegation zone. "Our poor sequence of results stretches back more than three months and there has been little sign of it coming to an end," added Peace. "If this run continues much longer, achieving our goal of retaining our Premier League status will become increasingly difficult. That is why we felt compelled to act now. "This club's track record proves we do not take such decisions lightly, with Roberto being only our fourth manager or head coach in almost 11 years. "We now begin the search to find a new head coach who will fit into our existing set-up and work under our sporting and technical director, Dan Ashworth, with a view to taking the club forward." Di Matteo's assistant Eddie Newton and head of sports science Ade Mafe have also left the club and first-team coach Michael Appleton has been placed in temporary charge, with the club's next two Premier League games against fellow relegation battlers West Ham and Wolves. "On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Roberto for his efforts over the past 19 months, particularly for his contribution towards last season's promotion success and our very promising start to the current campaign," said Peace. "We wish him and his family well for the future. "Roberto embraced the structure in which we wanted him to work and he has been a good colleague. "However, we are in a results-driven industry and felt we had no choice but to act now." West Brom's next four fixtures are all against relegation rivals - at home to West Ham and Wolves before trips to Stoke and Birmingham.

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