Marek Cech's had a tough time at West Bromwich Albion says Tony Mowbray

Dec 31 2008 By Chris Lepkowski

TONY Mowbray has praised Marek Cech for overcoming a ‘tough couple of weeks’ and becoming a genuine contender for Albion’s left-back position.

The defender played a major role in Sunday’s 2-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur, replacing the suspended Paul Robinson.

But since then Mowbray has alluded to ‘problems’ which hampered Cech’s pre-Christmas training sessions.

The manager did not wish to reveal too much but admitted the Slovakian international had, among other things, been disciplined for being late to training.

“I can’t elaborate too much but it was a tough couple of weeks for him,” Mowbray told the Birmingham Mail.

“Sometimes you feel the whole world is against you.

“He’s had a few issues disciplinary wise, a bit of lateness here, a bit of this there, a bit of that there, everything mounts up.

“He probably felt as if I was only here to take money off him, which isn’t the case.

“It’s like anything – whether it’s the

captain Jonathan Greening or one of the young lads – if there’s a