Jamie O’Hara shares West Brom rivalry admission amid Wolves v Aston Villa ‘borefest’
Jamie O’Hara believes Aston Villa versus Wolves is just as big a derby as West Brom versus Wolves.
Wolves and Villa drew 1-1 at Molineux on Sunday with O’Hara covering the match for Sky Sports News’ Sports Sunday show.
During the first half, O’Hara spoke about his own experience of playing for Wolves against both Albion and Villa, saying that there’s not much between the two West Midlands derby matches.
Speaking on Sky Sports News on Sunday (02:49pm), O’Hara said: “I’ve played in this game, Wolves-Aston Villa. It’s a proper West Midlands derby.
“They say that Wolves-West Brom was the one but this one is a tasty one as well.
“They’re both massive football clubs in the West Midlands and they’re going to fancy their chances.
“You’ve got to go into this one ready for a few kicks and ready for a battle and you’re seeing that already.”
Later on in the first half, O’Hara complained about the first half being a “borefest”.
Oh to be playing them again
West Brom fans live for their derby days but they’re few and far between now because of being in the Championship.
Throughout most of the club’s history, they’ve been in the same division as at least one of Villa or Wolves with fans feeling the Baggies have more of a rivalry with one of the other based on their generation.
But Albion’s only real West Midlands derby at this moment in time is against Birmingham – and the less said about that right now the better.
There’s Stoke as well, which is always a competitive one that grew more intense during Tony Pulis’ spell in the Potteries before his eventual move to The Hawthorns. Coventry, meanwhile, don’t really come onto the radar much.
West Brom’s promotion hopes are pretty faint at this stage of the Championship season and once January rolls around and the small hopes of a takeover by that time are dead, it could become a real slog.
Telegraph journalist John Percy reported on 19 September that if the Chinese ownership of the Baggies remains by the time 2024 arrives, there could be a firesale of squad members at The Hawthorns due to huge debts that are rising every day thanks to ridiculous interest rates.
Unless something happens in the cups, it’s unlikely Albion will be playing Villa or Wolves any time soon.
In other West Brom news, Kevin Kilbane is baffled by this Albion player’s international call-up.