11th January 2005: After successfully
completing the capture of veteran striker Kevin Campbell on a free
transfer from Everton yesterday, a busy news week at the Hawthorns
continued as the club announced that they would listen to offers for
two of the first team squad.
Robson has obviously now realised what the rest of us Baggies' fans
did some time ago - that Bernt Haas is not up to life at this level.
Having been a regular, and reasonably impressive, figure last season,
the arrival of Riccardo Scimeca seemed to spell trouble for the Swiss
international. But Mr Megson appeared to be a fan and played him in
midfield. He did OK without ever looking comfortable and then came
Megson's last bow - at wing back at Palace, Haas was simply dreadful.
In came Robson, and it appeared that we'd seen the last of Bernie,
but Pop is a fair man and he came the guy a chance. Not surprisingly,
Haas's inclusion coincided with the start of Albion's dreadful run
in the game at Portsmouth. If we thought he couldn't get any worse
than he was at Palace, he succeeded at St Andrew's, which turned out
to be his last appearance. Robson needs to reduce the squad and, I
guess, he thinks he can get some money for an international. In all
fairness, he can do a job at "Championship" level, and I can see such
a club coming in with a bid.
As for Artim Sakiri, I do feel sorry for him. Megson spent ages trying
to secure the services of the Macedonian captain, but then proceeded
to hardly use him citing a lack of fitness, at least initially. For
me, Sakiri looked as if he could do a job although he was never a
Megson-type player, being more of a luxury than the workmanlike AJ's
of this world that Megson so loves. He made just nine starts and twenty-one
appearances as substitute, not once playing a full ninety minutes
last season, but he impressed on occasion scoring a screamer on his
home league debut and was invariably influential when given long enough
in a match.
There were noises that Megson felt he would be better in the Premiership
but when the new season started, he was completely ignored. He made
the bench at the defeat at Colchester but didn't get his first appearance
of the season until Robson joined. He started the game at Highbury
and, in my opinion, did well. He wasn't as influential in the next
game against Manchester United and then made a brief appearance as
a sub at Portsmouth. Ultimately, it seems, Robson agrees with Megson
as doesn't see a future for him at the club. Personally, I think it's
a shame as I don't think he's been given a fair chance. I think he
could do well for a club in England, but I expect he may find his
way back to eastern Europe. I wish him, and Bernie, well.
As for other news, no sign of Senor Almeyda as yet, although Robson
is apparently confident that he'll be here in time for Sunday's game
against Fulham, and the new man Mr Campbell is making the right noises
in his first day at the Hawthorns, but then you'd expect that....
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