James Morrison disagrees with what Mowbray said about West Brom players before sack
James Morrison has challenged Tony Mowbray’s previous claims about the West Brom squad.
Mowbray was dismissed by the Baggies in April after just three months in charge, with Morrison replacing him at the helm until the end of the season.
West Brom finished the Championship in ninth place, ultimately missing out on the play-offs.
After a 3-1 defeat to Derby County at The Hawthorns (21 April), Mowbray slammed his players, and Morrison has now responded to the 61-year-old’s criticisms.
Morrison reacts to Mowbray’s West Brom scolding
Before he was dismissed by West Brom, Mowbray took aim at his players in the aftermath of the defeat to Derby County, suggesting there were a lack of personalities with leadership qualities.
Mowbray’s comments signalled the end of his second stint in charge of the Baggies, clearly deeply frustrated to publicly slam his players.
Throwing your squad under the bus is never a good sign. Therefore, it made the board’s decision to get rid of the manager all the easier.
| Tony Mowbray’s West Brom record |
| 17 matches |
| 5 wins |
| 4 draws |
| 8 losses |
It’s a shame Mowbray’s tenure at the club didn’t work out. However, unfortunately, a 29 per cent win percentage was never going to wash with a side that has ambitions of making the play-offs.
When queried on whether he understood the previous manager’s comments, Morrison profusely disagreed with his former boss.
The 38-year-old said [via Express and Star, 23 May], “No, I don’t [agree with Mowbray] – I think there’s some good characters in that dressing room, some leaders, at the end of the day it’s all about winning.
“When you don’t get wins, that’s when the cracks start to appear and questions are asked about you and stuff like that.”
West Brom must address their managerial situation
A club of West Brom’s stature will be disappointed with last season’s performance, fading away from the play-offs during the run-in.
Therefore, as the summer looms, there is an even bigger need to find a new manager ready to set the Baggies in motion.
With star players like Josh Maja and Tom Fellows linked with a move away, it will be the decision of the fresh face in the dugout to decide what happens next.
Whether that be someone like Ryan Mason or a more experienced head, there is frustration building among fans who just want a new manager to be picked.
Whoever is appointed will hope to echo Morrison’s sentiment regarding the squad and not be shocked to find Mowbray’s criticisms painfully true.