Tony Mowbray admits "there will be some casualties" following his summer recruitment drive which saw 13 new players arrive at West Brom. The Baggies chief has totally revamped his squad following last season's defeat to Derby in the Championship play-off final at Wembley. Star men Diomansy Kamara, Jason Koumas, Paul McShane, Nathan Ellington and Curtis Davies have been sold for transfer fees which could eventually total around £28million. And Mowbray has drafted in the likes of Craig Beattie, Chris Brunt, James Morrison, Leon Barnett and Pele as he bids to put his own stamp on the club. The Albion boss now has fierce competition for places in every position in the first team - and admits he may be prepared to let some fringe players leave on loan. Versatile defender Neil Clement has been linked with a move to QPR as he is behind Tininho and Paul Robinson in the left-back pecking order. And the likes of Ronnie Wallwork and John Hartson could also leave The Hawthorns on loan, with a view to permanent exits in January's transfer window.
Mowbray said: "I'm not sitting here thinking we've got to get someone in because I think we're ok - but there will be some casualties and people falling by the wayside because there will be some who don't get as much game time as they would like and who see themselves pushed down the pecking order. There might be some outgoings and then you have to take a calculated gamble about whether to let people out or keep them here and they become unhappy. Those are the decisions that when the time comes you make. At the moment it's not happening because the window has not long shut and we haven't got those decisions to make but I know they will come. My phone will ring, as it has already in the last week or so with enquiries about players, but it's good to be in that position where you can say 'no' to clubs."
Mowbray added: "Some players might not get as much game time as they want - that's what happens with competition for places. You can't live in a Utopia all the time of everybody is delighted because they won't be delighted if they're not playing on a Saturday. It's my job to try and manage that and all I can do is be open and honest with them and tell them where I see them in the squad and how we're trying to work. Some will like what they hear and some won't, and the way football continually moves on means at the next window they'll be people going and people coming in. It never stops, we certainly haven't done our business for the rest of eternity, it just keeps going on."
Mowbray said: "I'm not sitting here thinking we've got to get someone in because I think we're ok - but there will be some casualties and people falling by the wayside because there will be some who don't get as much game time as they would like and who see themselves pushed down the pecking order. There might be some outgoings and then you have to take a calculated gamble about whether to let people out or keep them here and they become unhappy. Those are the decisions that when the time comes you make. At the moment it's not happening because the window has not long shut and we haven't got those decisions to make but I know they will come. My phone will ring, as it has already in the last week or so with enquiries about players, but it's good to be in that position where you can say 'no' to clubs."
Mowbray added: "Some players might not get as much game time as they want - that's what happens with competition for places. You can't live in a Utopia all the time of everybody is delighted because they won't be delighted if they're not playing on a Saturday. It's my job to try and manage that and all I can do is be open and honest with them and tell them where I see them in the squad and how we're trying to work. Some will like what they hear and some won't, and the way football continually moves on means at the next window they'll be people going and people coming in. It never stops, we certainly haven't done our business for the rest of eternity, it just keeps going on."