‘Exciting times’ – Exclusive: Phillips thrilled by West Brom youngster, discusses new contract
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Kevin Phillips is excited by the potential shown by Dara O’Shea since the young defender broke into the West Brom first-team.
O’Shea, 20, has started all of Albion’s last seven Championship fixtures, taking the right-back spot of Darnell Furlong even though the former QPR defender had done little wrong all season.
The Irish defender’s emergence in the starting line-up has helped West Brom win five, draw one and lose just one of the league games he has started since replacing Furlong.
Just before he became a mainstay of Slaven Bilic’s starting 11, O’Shea was handed a new three-and-a-half-year deal with the Baggies.
Former West Brom striker Phillips believes that new contract speaks volumes about what the club think of the Republic of Ireland youth international and has suggested that he should try to stay put at The Hawthorns for as long as possible.
“Moving forward, he’s another player who’s got a future in front of him,” Phillips told West Brom News. “The club wouldn’t give you a new contract if they didn’t think that.
“It’s exciting times and it’s great to see these young players being given an opportunity because unless you really stand out, it’s hard to get an opportunity.
“Players within the Championship, if you play for the right manager, you will get an opportunity so he’s certainly one that’s shone.
“He’s been rewarded so the biggest thing for him now is, you’ve got your contract, you’re obviously going to be on a good wage or whatever it is. Don’t take a step back, take a step forward and continue to progress and try to carve out a real good career in front of you.”
O’Shea has done ever so well this season.
He scored his first goal in senior football in the 2-0 win at Millwall – which has been hailed as one of West Brom’s best performances under Bilic – and has managed to snatch Furlong’s spot away from him at right-back.
It may seem harsh on Furlong because he has been brilliant for the Baggies since his summer switch from QPR but O’Shea has helped shore up a back-line that had been conceding way too many goals.
Furlong is very much an attack-minded right-back while O’Shea, who has spent most of his budding career playing as a centre-back, has offered a bit more defensively.
It means that Conor Townsend has had more freedom to bomb forward from the left-back position, knowing that there are still three defensive-minded players who will stay back.
O’Shea’s emergence has been one of the key reasons behind West Brom’s improvement since the end of January.
In other West Brom news, fans were raving about this teenager’s display against Preston.