1st June 2007: When the Play-Off Final kicked off, the media had already been speculating for weeks which players would leave the Hawthorns should the Baggies fail to reach the Premiership, and once another season in the Championship was confirmed, the stories have been flooding the newspapers and websites.

At this stage, of course, they are mere speculation, but only the very naïve will believe that Albion could keep the squad together for another season. And the question must be asked, should we even want to?

Tony Mowbray's own words over the past few months suggested that there would be a break up of the squad irrespective of what division the club was to play in next season. The failure to win promotion may have increased the extent of that break-up, but it would have happened nonetheless.

Results in the first few weeks following Mowbray's appointment suggested that not everyone on the playing staff was happily adjusting to the new regime. It could be that the "alleged" Venus-Perry spat was simply the worst example of what may have been significant unrest within the squad, but as an outsider, this is merely speculation. Suffice it to say that I believe that some of the squad did not want Robson to go, did not want to play for Mowbray and potentially still do not.

I may be seeing mountains where there are only molehills, but it seems curious to me that the squad performed at its best during January, and during the latter stages of the season, precisely the time when scouts from other clubs are at their most observant. It is churlish to tar the entire first team with that particular brush, but I'm sure there are one or two to whom that could easily apply.

But let me first start with the obvious candidates for departure Steve Watson, John Hartson, Ronnie Wallwork and Martin Albrechtsen.

Steve Watson spent much of the post-Christmas period on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, and I'm sure that he was only recalled for the run-in to weaken Brian Laws' play-off chasing side rather than to add to Mowbray's options. Although he has a year left on his contract, I'd be surprised if the club didn't release him on a free transfer.

John Hartson is probably the biggest disappointment of the season. Over his career, Hartson has proved his goal-scoring prowess but while he has shown glimpses of that ability this season, his apparent unwillingness to get and stay fit has meant he has been little more than a bit-part player since Mowbray came in. Like Watson, he has a year left on his contract, but a free transfer seems the most likely outcome, if he can find another club.

Ronnie Wallwork has had a tough year, and we were all glad to see him recover from his injuries, but I doubt that Tony Mowbray is likely to fight too hard to keep him. He had another year on his contract, but I believe that he will either be released or sent out on loan once again - maybe the new manager at Bramall Lane will be interested?

Martin Albrechtsen has rarely shown the promise that saw Gary Megson agree a £2.7 million deal to bring the Dane from Copenhagen in 2004. His pace is undoubted and he has proved dangerous as an attacking full back, but given that he was signed as a central defender, his defensive ability has been questioned. He was well-used by Robson but has been largely frozen out by Mowbray. That, coupled with his ill-timed comments about wanting to leave in the lead up to the Play-Off Final, makes him a favourite for departure. The club have an option to extend his contract by a further year, which may mean that they can command a fee, but it is unlikely to be large.

The next group of players who could be considered most likely to move are those that have been actively courted by other clubs, assuming the media are to be believed.

Diomansy Kamara must be one of the most frustrating players to pull on an Albion shirt in recent times. On occasion he is sublime, but on others he is close to ridiculous. Obviously, his 22 goals this season contributed hugely to the club's cause, but his tendency to be petulant and to upset referees by diving have had Albion fans tearing their hair out at times. His performance at Wembley was purely selfish and confirmed to me that he sees his future away from the Hawthorns. This seems more evident when you take into account that he has seemingly done nothing to stop his agent touting him around Europe, and his reported unwillingness to learn English. The question remains why he signed a new three year contract last summer (with an extra year in the club's favour) - to increase his salary I guess - but I suppose it does mean that he will command a significant fee in the transfer market. Who knows what Mr Peace will consider appropriate, but I'd be surprised if we got more than £4 or perhaps £5 million.

Curtis Davies has seemingly been on the verge of leaving the club during every transfer window since he signed for the club on transfer deadline day in August 2005. Along with the signing of Kevin Phillips, it was one of the best pieces of business that was done during Robson's tenure of the club. A bid of about £8.5 million from Portsmouth was reportedly turned down for him last January, and with a contract running for another three years, he will surely demand a fee in that region were he to leave. In my view, the decision will be Curtis's. He is obviously good enough to grace the Premiership, but given that he has been injured for a good proportion of this season, will he feel any loyalty to the club that plucked him from the lower leagues and helped gain international recognition? Or does he feel that enduring one season outside the top flight is loyal enough?

This season, Zoltan Gera has shown some signs of the form that endeared him to the hearts of the Baggies faithful in his first season at the club. He has certainly performed better than he did in the few games he played in the last campaign, but he has still been horribly inconsistent. His form in the last few weeks was much improved, and led me to suspect that he may have been playing for the scouts rather than the fans. I have mixed feelings about Gera as his commitment and ability in the Great Escape season was unquestioned, and I feel that he could easily show that again. Unfortunately, and it gives me no please to suggest such a sleight on his character, I believe that he may have to move to another club for that to happen. Like Albrechtsen, he signed a three-year deal with an option on an extra year in the club's favour in 2004, so the club may be able to command a fee in the transfer market, and at this stage, they may be happy to simply recoup there initial £1.5 million investment.

Out of all the players rumoured to be about to move, the one I think we should do everything possible to try to keep is Jason Koumas. The 27-year-old has been like a new signing after the tribulations of last summer, and what a signing. Once fit, he has terrorised Championship defences and has been the creative spark that has enabled the side to reach a century of goals. He has himself admitted that he enjoys playing for Tony Mowbray and Greening and Phillips have both come out this week to urge him to stay for another season. Given his problems in the past, and his apparent need to be a "big fish in a small pond", there is a risk that Jason might not settle well if he moves clubs, but whether that will be enough for him to resist the lure of the Premiership I'm not sure. Having signed a three-year contract last summer, any fee would be substantial, but I would love to see JK stay at the Hawthorns.

The one surprise name that has come up with regard to transfer speculation is Paul Robinson, and the added surprise is that it came from his own mouth. Robbo's commitment seemed to be without doubt, particularly after signing a new three-year deal last summer, but his revelations this week that he is considering his future come as a smack in the face to Baggies fans, especially when you consider his below par performances of late. To be honest, the left back position would be one I would have looked to strengthen had Albion been promoted, although I feel Robbo is just about good enough for the Championship. It has been some time since he produced the consistent level of performance that led Robson to suggest him as a candidate for an England spot, and while Robbo may find a Premiership club willing to take him on, I suspect none bar the relegation candidates will be prepared to offer him more than a squad place.

Paul McShane has also been linked with other clubs after a hugely impressive first season, much of it playing out of position, even if it did finish with a rather poor performance at Wembley. Paul could be tempted by the bright lights of the Premiership, but I expect him to stay, particularly if Davies does end up leaving. He could well end up as first choice in the centre of defence next season, an honour I doubt he would get in any Premiership side. With two years left on his contract, he would be sure to command a decent fee should he leave.

Out of the remaining squad, there are some that I expect to stay and some that I'm not sure about. In the latter, I would include Chris Perry. Out in the cold for much of the season after his alleged spat with Mark Venus, he was recalled for the latter part of the season after injuries to both Davies and Clement, and performed superbly. Whether he and Venus have made up, or he was simply playing for a new club, I'm not sure, but if he is willing to stay, his ability and experience will be an asset in the Championship next season. If he does want to go, it is questionable whether the club would get much of a fee for the year left on his contract.

The other big doubt is Nathan Ellington. The Duke has undoubted talent but just hasn't managed to get going in an Albion shirt and the "toe" incident from last season left a sour taste in the mouth that many Albion fans are struggling to wash out. Eleven goals this season is a decent return considering he has rarely played ninety minutes, but with two strikers bagging twenty goals this season, he will surely be disappointed. Ellington felt betrayed when the club turned down a reported £3 million bid from Wigan in January, but he subsequently spoke out as being committed to Albion, and his performances since have shown more desire than we had been seeing, even if the quality was only marginally better. Sell him cheap to another Championship side, and you can be sure he'll bang in twenty goals - hold on to him and the "I told you so" voices will be loud if he fails to produce again. What I suspect will happen is that he'll still be at the club come the start of the new season, but the late signing of a new striker could see him leave, or frozen out once again.

Excluding fringe and loan players, I'd be surprised to see many others leave, although you never know when a manager embarks on a wholesale squad refresh.

Up front, Kevin Phillips seems to be enjoying his football and will hold a faint hope that he could have another go at the Premiership should Albion make it next time.

In midfield, Jonathan Greening has already started talks to extend his contract, Robert Koren has proved to be an excellent signing and despite reservations from many Albion fans, Mowbray seems to have faith in Richard Chaplow, although the signing of the midfield general we needed in January could change his mind. Darren Carter is likely to be retained as a useful squad player, although it is doubtful that he will be happy with that himself, and he may look to move away.

At the back, the club's longest serving player, Neil Clement, is likely to stay on with a further four years still left on his contract, and goalkeeper Dean Kiely, who has been excellent this year, seems sure to see out the remaining year of his contract.

Of the players on loan, I doubt that Sodje has really done enough to earn a permanent move, but he could be a useful squad player. MacDonald has not had too much opportunity to shine, and although he has been industrious and skilful, he hasn't really caught the eye. Mowbray obviously sees something in him on the training field, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him at the club next season.

All in all, that could mean up to twelve first team squad players leaving the club in the summer, excluding loan players, but I suspect that it will turn out to be around the six or seven mark.

Whatever happens, it will be an interesting summer, and it will almost certainly see the break up of what was deemed by many to be the best squad in the Championship. Can Tony Mowbray, with the help of Jeremy Peace and new Sporting and Technical Director Simon Hunt, show that although breaking up is hard to do, putting something together can make it seem all worthwhile?


Jon Want, 1st June 2007