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.
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