Jonny Drury and Lewis Cox discuss Albion's out of contract players - and whether they will land a new deal.
Albion have ten players whose deals expire this summer.
Lewis and Jonny give their verdict on who should go and who should stay.
Albion have ten players whose deals expire this summer.
Lewis and Jonny give their verdict on who should go and who should stay.
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00:00 Hello, Baggies fans, and welcome to ExpressAndStart.com. My name is Jonny Drury. I'm here with West
00:12 Brom correspondent Lewis Cox. And we're going to today be talking about Albion's list of
00:18 out of contract players. We've got 10 players at Albion this summer who are out of contract.
00:23 Their future has been up for much debate for the final few weeks of the season. And we're
00:26 anticipating that it won't be too long before we hear who's been offered a new deal and
00:31 who has been let go by Albion. So over the next 10 minutes or so, me and Lewis are going
00:35 to be playing. I'm going to tune into Noel Edmonds. Lewis Cox is going to be the contestant.
00:39 And I'm going to be giving him a deal or no deal on every single player. He's going to
00:43 give us sort of 30 seconds or so as to why he's gone for that decision. So, Coxie, we'll
00:49 start at the very top. And for the first one, I'm going to go to you. Kyle Bartley extended
00:56 his contract. He had a sort of triggered an extension last year. Out of contract this
01:01 summer. Kyle Bartley, deal or no deal?
01:04 Well, it's funny you started with Kyle Bartley, Johnny, actually, because he, I would say,
01:09 is the one on my list out of 10. Where there's a little bit of an asterisk and...
01:14 Oh, it's not like Coxie to sit on the fence.
01:17 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, well, no. Well, I'm going to I'm going to tell you why. And there's
01:21 only one really and a deal, but clearly only on Albion terms. You know, not this is not
01:31 one of the one of the longest servers, one of the highest earners. I think he's been
01:34 fantastic. But obviously, what, 32 now? I think he's been good enough to warrant a new
01:42 contract. I would prefer it only to be a year. Personally, it could be two. He's only 32.
01:48 But yeah, the terms have to be far reduced to work for Albion. Whether Bartley would
01:53 want to do that is up for debate. He's played very well this season. Really, really, really
01:58 well. And if money and age wasn't so much of an issue, you'd want him in your side in
02:02 the championship. That's what I think. However, can I suppose the question is, can I see it
02:08 happening? I would keep him only on those terms. Can I see it happening? I'm not so
02:13 sure. I think Albion would be fairly happy to try. But would Bartley want and deserve
02:20 better? Also, probably yes. But let's see. He's the one I'd keep him. But do I think
02:28 it's likely not so much, I think.
02:30 Because you don't deal. I'll sort of give my little input at the end with a quick answer.
02:35 I'm going to say no deal on that one. We'll go to Alex Mowat. Deal or no deal?
02:42 Deal. However, another player that's excellent, really good, probably caught attention with
02:51 his displays. I'm sure we'll want to see what's out there. Because like Albion's situation,
02:58 like Bartley we've just discussed, I would have thought highly unlikely to be a deal
03:04 on his existing terms at the moment that were run out at the end of June. So, yeah, one
03:08 of Albion's players of the season. Absolutely excellent. I think he's been an absolutely
03:12 integral part of the squad. Deal. I would want to keep him. But it's only going to happen
03:18 on reduced terms.
03:19 Cedric Kipray. Deal or no deal?
03:23 Deal. Absolutely. I see Mowat in terms of being an excellent Albion's player of the
03:29 season. He swept up the big awards. Yeah, I'd love to say he's going to be an Albion
03:36 player next season. I really would. And clearly that's what everyone wants, including the
03:39 head coach. But yeah, we'll have no shortage of interest, I suspect, from these shores
03:46 and overseas. So, tricky one. I think Albion will want and try to keep him and try their
03:53 utmost to make it happen. But look, we've spoke of and we know the situation with the
03:57 wage bill, something Albion will be reducing, will look to reduce this summer. Obviously,
04:03 a lot of the players that will leave will help that. But yeah, it's not like they can
04:09 go crazy once again on wages that has played a part in getting them into a difficult position
04:13 in the first place. So, Kipray is a massive deal, massive keep. But yeah, Albion won't
04:19 be alone in the queue to want to sign or re-sign Cedric Kipray.
04:25 Nathaniel Chalaber. Deal or no deal?
04:29 No deal. I think that's like a few of these, to be honest, fairly cut and dry. I think
04:36 Chalaber's had a couple of spouts this season. He's only full season at the club where he's
04:42 done fine. But really sort of conspicuous by his absence towards the end of the season,
04:46 wasn't he? I fell below MV in the pecking order. Came, what, 18 months ago from Bullen,
04:53 wasn't it? Probably with a hefty figure, one would suspect. Not near the first-team
05:02 plan. It's probably someone at Albion who feel they can save and upgrade on. So, no
05:06 deal.
05:07 Jan Mvea. Deal or no deal?
05:12 No deal on Mvea. 34. I think he might be turning 35 in the summer or whether he's turning 34.
05:19 Yeah, stop-gap signing, wasn't he, in February or March. The injury to Jason Mlumbie. Corbijn
05:25 couldn't get anyone in over the January window. He's got some quality still, despite his advancing
05:30 years. I think his use of the ball is good. We've said many times, haven't we, he looks
05:34 forward and picks a pass. But yeah, not for Albion. Not in their current situation, no.
05:39 Adam Reach. Deal or no deal?
05:44 No deal. No deal. However, he's in a slight bracket of his own here, where would I be
05:53 staggered and fall off my chair if he was offered something instead? Possibly not. I
05:59 know there'll be plenty listening to this thinking, "Oh, really?" But I think he's got
06:04 his usefulness. I think we all know this in terms of when you're looking to save, when
06:10 you're looking to build a squad and looking to versatility and adaptability, there aren't
06:13 many players like Reach, to be honest, that can do that variety of things. However, I
06:17 just think it's come to an end of its tether, hasn't it, in terms of how long has Reach
06:24 been at the club? Is it four years? Certainly three or four. Yeah, he's not had an impact
06:31 or influence on that starting XI. Yes, you need a squad. Yes, you need squad options.
06:35 But again, maybe like Chaleb at one Albion, I think they can save on and upgrade with.
06:40 But Corbyn is a fan. He is a fan. And he, like any manager, really appreciates what
06:45 Reach can do in a variety of positions. But for me, I'm going to go no deal.
06:51 Deal or no deal, Matt Phillips?
06:56 With a heavy heart, no deal, I think. Not too dissimilar category to Bartley, is he
07:03 really, when you're looking at it. However, you look at the differences and you look at
07:08 it, I'm a huge fan of Phillips. You look at his record, injury history and fitness record.
07:14 And this one, this season was a big one, wasn't it? There's no getting away from it. Five
07:18 months out, serious injury, surgery. He didn't get back from it, did he? He barely came off
07:24 the bench, had that start at Sheffield Wednesday that didn't look particularly great. And understandably
07:30 so, he's not kicked a ball for months and months and was unable to get in it and affect
07:38 the first team, I suppose. And I just think, again, longest serving player, clearly a big
07:42 earner. Maybe we could have the same conversation as Bartley. And if he does sign a one-year
07:47 or whatever, it's obviously on the much reduced terms. He's a huge, driven personality in
07:52 there. Biggest professional in there. But again, I just think after what, eight years
07:58 at the club, I believe, it's just a time. Phillips, 33 now, where I'm going to have
08:03 to assess their situation, his situation with his availability and make that hard decision,
08:08 I think. It's a shame, but he clocked up his 250th appearance, didn't he, not so long ago?
08:14 It would have been, of course, many more. Probably would have had another 100 or so,
08:17 were it not for his many issues, fitness-wise. But yeah, no deal with a heavy heart for me.
08:24 Eric Peters deal or no deal?
08:27 No deal for Eric Peters. No deal. But I will say with a heavy heart again, to be honest,
08:33 I think he's been a really ultra-reliable, ultra-professional. Free transfer. Done a
08:40 great job for the club when called upon, mostly at centre-half. A new position for him in
08:44 a back three, back five. Came out of the cold. He was in the side, wasn't he? And then it
08:52 sort of came to the new year, it wasn't to be seen for a couple of months. Then all of
08:55 a sudden, injury struck again. And you call him on Eric Peters again. But he came in and
09:02 he was seamless for the best part of six weeks. So credit to him. A little bit of unwarranted
09:09 stick at times, to be honest. But I think he's done a great job for the club. Got a
09:16 new deal last summer, didn't he, actually, for another season. But I can't see that at
09:20 all this summer. I just think it's time for Albin to move on. Hopefully, Peters gets somewhere
09:26 else. But he's been a good servant for Albin for a couple of years.
09:29 Not a great deal to be said on the final two on our list. But Martin Kelly, deal or no
09:33 deal?
09:34 Yeah, no deal. Kelly will obviously go. We've barely seen him, haven't we? ACL, what was
09:42 it, Feb 23, for the best part of a year. Came back, picked up muscle problems again. Was
09:47 left out of the league's registration squad for the second half of the season. So couldn't
09:52 have even played. Were he fit and things like that? Hopefully, he's built up some sort of
09:57 match fitness and can get himself something after this. Or whether he decides to move
10:02 on in his career or whatever, I'm not sure. But yeah, he'll go down in the history books
10:09 as one of those sort of quiz questions, won't he? Former Albion players, when you're trying
10:13 to name players across eras. And Martin Kelly will be a good, pointless answer, you would
10:18 think. But again, another great cracking pro. But obviously, he's barely played. Yeah, very
10:25 clear no deal.
10:27 Final one, Ted Kan. Deal or no deal?
10:30 Yeah, Ted Kan, the third choice goalkeeper, isn't he, behind Alex Palmer and Josh Griffiths.
10:37 24, he's actually a year older than Josh Griffiths is Ted Kan. So he's out of the academy. But
10:44 by no means young. I suppose still relatively for a goalkeeper. But Albion are fairly stocked
10:50 in the youth. Always seem to be, don't they, in the youth departments with the keepers.
10:54 Always seem to have prospects coming through. And as Ronnie Hollingshead and Ben Cisse, both
10:58 teens, both well thought of. Good few years younger than Kan now. But I do know Ted Kan
11:04 has played a big role. We carried a story the other week from Alex Palmer, didn't we,
11:08 about the GK union, how key Kan was. So he's played a big part in it, always in training
11:14 and all of that. I just wonder for his career and for Albion keeping it refreshed and moving
11:20 things on, whether it'll probably be time for him to go and hopefully be a keeper somewhere.
11:26 Find a level where he's competing for that number one shirt because he's behind Palmer
11:30 and Griffiths here. Now, we don't know that Palmer and Griffiths will both still be here
11:34 in September. You're wrong. Obviously, transfer market clubs may well be interested in either
11:38 of those two. But I just think for Kan, well thought of, well respected. Hopefully go and
11:43 have a career where he can clock up games and stuff further down the pyramid. So yeah,
11:48 probably a no deal on the goalkeeper.
11:50 Now Coxsey's list. Now Coxsey's going to read that list back to me and I'm going to see
11:55 how Bayern marry up against them. So Coxsey, read that list.
12:00 Apologies just quickly. I haven't got them in the same order as Johnny. They're nothing
12:04 far off, but you'll have to go in the order they've written down for me here. So we'll
12:07 go, you've answered Bartley, haven't you, Johnny, at the top, but we'll go Kipra.
12:12 Deal.
12:13 Alex Moher.
12:14 Deal.
12:15 Matt Phillips.
12:16 No deal.
12:18 Adam Reach.
12:20 No deal.
12:22 Nathaniel Chalabar.
12:24 No deal.
12:26 Jan Envea.
12:28 One year deal on a small contract with the provider that is a lot fitter for the start
12:42 of the season than he is now. And it wouldn't surprise me if Corbran gave a one year deal.
12:47 We know he's not on a massive contract. Corbran likes him. We've seen that. Whether another
12:52 pre-season he could get another year off, I don't know. But I think, fans may sniff
12:57 at this, but I think there's a possibility he might get a deal and I would probably give
13:01 him a deal.
13:03 Just quickly, you make a point because when he was recruited, Albin had very much a capped
13:07 budget in terms of this is what there is to offer a player. So you're right, the likelihood
13:12 of him being on anything mega is short. But I suppose if you're Envea, you can stick around
13:18 at the Hawthorns for another year on that kind of money. He might think he might have
13:21 better elsewhere. But yeah, interesting that one.
13:24 Eric Peters.
13:26 No deal.
13:27 Martin Kelly.
13:28 No deal.
13:29 And Ted Kan.
13:30 No deal. So yeah, one difference really. But there we go, bag of spats.
13:37 Hopefully it's not going to be too long before we find out how Albin starts doing their transfer
13:42 business. You can see all the latest news on that on ExpressingStart.com.