Tony Mowbray aims to use player pulling power

Jul 25 2008 By Chris Lepkowski

TONY Mowbray hopes to use his powers of persuasion to entice his next batch of signings to The Hawthorns.

The Albion boss is closing in on a number of targets for his Premier League-bound squad.

Mowbray revealed a few days ago he was still trying to bring in half-a-dozen more players.

Albion brought in Marek Cech and Scott Carson last week, with the former giving up Champions League football.

Mowbray hopes others will decide to take up the challenge of trying to help consolidate Albion’s position in the top flight.

“I think players just want some assurances and a bit of honesty about what lies ahead,” he said.

“We spoke to him (Cech) a few times when he was over in Portugal and we had people from our club go to visit him and visit his club out there.

“I had a few conversations with him on the phone trying to persuade him this was the right place for him and then I travelled out there and spoke to him.

“I managed to persuade him to have a look at the club and see where potentially he was going to come.

“He was very aware that he was giving up Champions League football but sometimes a new challenge is needed in someone’s football career.

“I would like to think he liked what he saw of our club but the Premier League was also a big draw. I am sure he is looking forward to travelling to the Emirates Stadium, Old Trafford and places like that.”

Both Cech and fellow new boy Gianni Zuiverloon have mentioned their admiration for Albion’s attacking football last season.

Mowbray claims Albion’s expansive brand of football has played a part in bringing players to the club, especially those who may have initially expressed a reluctance.

“It is generally about trying to fix prices with the club and sometimes those prices are pretty unrealistic,” he added.

“You sometimes need time for a bit of realism to hit home and then the price becomes more realistic.

“Hopefully the players don’t need too much persuading because they can see what direction they are going in and the brand of football we play.

“A lot of players we talk to make comments about watching our games on TV and liking what they saw and wanting to come to a team that plays in a certain style.”