Chris Lepkowski: Why Tony Mowbray is still the man for West Brom

Apr 28 2009 By Chris Lepkowski

FORGET the football, there was something else that stood out at The Hawthorns on Saturday.

It wasn’t Graham Dorrans’ maturity in the middle, Marc-Antoine Fortuné’s strength up front or Juan-Carlos Menseguez’s quick feet.

Nor was it Chris Brunt’s fourth goal in three – how good is he looking at the moment? – or even Jonas Olsson’s volley.

It was something that happened off the pitch.

A large group of fans in the home section of the Smethwick End gave the most vocal statement yet that they are still very much behind Tony Mowbray.

True, a good performance helped the mood. But, in fairness, there have never been any major voices of dissent either.

And what’s important is that Albion embrace the future, whichever division it’s in.

Mowbray has made a powerful statement of his own with his squad selections recently. No Luke Moore, no Marek Cech, no Kim. Filipe Teixeira has become marginalised, Carl Hoefkens and Ryan Donk too.

He is planning for next season and beyond.