Filipe Teixeira returns to Baggies action
FILIPE Teixeira makes a timely return to Baggies action tonight with Tony Mowbray urging him to grasp the opportunity to make a name for himself in the Premier League after a six month injury absence.
The Portuguese play-maker steps out with the reserves at West Ham in his first game since rupturing his cruciate ligament against Plymouth in March.
The 27-year-old became a fans’ favourite up until then after scoring five goals in 30 league games and with Kim Do-Heon facing six weeks at least on the sidelines Teixeira knows a first-team place is up for grabs.
Mowbray said: “I think he’s looking forward to tonight and I think he will start the game. He is ready to.
“He has trained for a few weeks now and has trained with full contact for 10 days or so.
“He is raring to go and now he needs to get some fitness, which generally you get through playing matches.
“Filipe will see an opportunity potentially. If he continues to work hard at his fitness levels and can get a game or two under his belt he should be back in the frame very quickly.”
Mowbray concedes tonight represents a psychological barrier as much as physical one for the player.
“It’s his first game and the opposition don’t know that he is the kid coming back from a cruciate injury,’’ he said.
“When that ball bounces between him and somebody else they will smash through him and that’s the test.
“In training, while he has been involved in full contact, I’m pretty sure his team-mates, who are fully aware of his history and what he is all about, aren’t quite going through with every challenge.
“So this is a psychological barrier and if he comes through the game unscathed it will be a big step in his progress back to the first team.”
Mowbray believes Teixeira has the skill to become an asset in the top flight but has to grasp his chance.
“Filipe has obviously got the technical ability but we have to wait and see whether the rest of his game is right for our team in the Premier League.
“When his opportunities arrive he has to grasp them,” Mowbray added.
and become a part of our team.
“He has undoubtedly got the technical ability and the fight and desire to be a Premier League player.”
“We tried to buy a majority of players last year who could make the step up and play in the Premier League,’’ he added.
“As the season went on last year I realised that they probably didn’t have the technical ability to do it.”
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