West Brom defender Kyle Bartley has made his stance clear on the club’s promotion ambitions, insisting the team is fully focused on securing a return to the Premier League this season.
Bartley emphasised the importance of consistency and hard work in the final stretch of the campaign, stating that everyone in the squad is determined to give their all to achieve that goal. The experienced centre-back also highlighted the unity and belief within the dressing room as key factors driving their push for promotion.
Bartley emphasised the importance of consistency and hard work in the final stretch of the campaign, stating that everyone in the squad is determined to give their all to achieve that goal. The experienced centre-back also highlighted the unity and belief within the dressing room as key factors driving their push for promotion.
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00:00Kyle Bartley's leadership and determination at West Brom has been central to the club's
00:07efforts to regain their place in the Premier League. As one of the club's most committed
00:12and experienced defenders, Bartley has played a key role in their defensive solidity over
00:18the years, often captaining the team throughout difficult moments. I spoke with Charlie Haffenden
00:23of Birmingham World to explore Bartley's ongoing efforts to inspire his team, his hopes
00:29for the future and how he plans to lead West Brom back to the Premier League.
00:35Charlie looking at West Brom at Chalbian and picking out a player specifically, 33 years
00:40of age but he has had a real good impact at West Brom. So many years there now, he's played
00:4840 games in a fair few campaigns as well, it's Kyle Bartley. In terms of his impact
00:55at the club, the way West Brom fans look at him and how much of a servant he's been
01:02for them through quite a difficult period really. If you look at West Brom's recent
01:07times, it's not been amazing, it's not been anywhere near the fact they were in the Premier
01:12League for over almost eight years really, consistently. He's come in, he's been a great
01:18servant for them. What do you take from watching him and the impact he has at the Albion?
01:27I think he's a very important player. He's been very much in and out of the team this
01:30season but that doesn't mean he doesn't have an importance in the squad. If it wasn't for
01:35little injuries here and there, little knocks that he's been experiencing, little setbacks
01:40in training, I think he'd be starting most matches to be honest. Even someone like Mason
01:44Holgate who's come in on loan from the Premier League, from Everton, has had to sit on the
01:48bench sometimes because Bartley has been so impressive. When Samir Jahi's been out of
01:53form, Bartley's come in and he's provided that solidity. I think the importance for
01:56Tony Mowbray as well is in the Championship you need to be physical, you need to be strong
02:01in the air. So many different teams will go route one at times when things aren't quite
02:05going well for them. They'll throw balls into the box, they'll play for set pieces and then
02:10you've got someone like Bartley who can stand in the middle of the park and he can clear
02:14those away for you. So important to how Mowbray wants to approach things because he wants
02:19to be attacking and he doesn't want to have to think too much about the solidity of defence
02:23because you've got someone there who can do things without almost thinking about it, instinctively
02:28clearing away either with his head or with his boots. So Bartley as I say is so, so important
02:32and that experience as well when the pressure is on to try and get a playoff finish, so
02:36many teams in and around you, you need someone like that, a cool head at the back who's had
02:40the experience of being in a division and experiencing those similar campaigns before
02:45can really help you get over the line.
02:47In terms of his future, obviously 33, coming towards the back end certainly of his career
02:54maybe at the top level. Do you feel if West Bromart has stopped down in the Championship
02:58he could be a real leader again and really help their push for that promotion place again?
03:06It's an interesting one because with the contract expiring this summer, this talk he might not
03:11be staying at the club at all. I think if Mowbray has anything to say about it he'll
03:15keep him on for another year but obviously it does depend on the desire of the player
03:19as well if he can continue at this top level. As I mentioned before there have been so many
03:23injuries kind of wearing away at him in this season and he's not been able to put a proper
03:27run together of starts but I think if you can get 15, 20 starts in a season that's not
03:33exactly bad at his age, 33, 34 years old. If baggies do not go up to the Premier League
03:39this season he's still of a level that he can contribute pretty effectively. He can
03:44be a regular starter for them, if not he can come in off the bench or he can fill in when
03:48injuries take hold. If they do go to the Premier League he might be more of a figure just in
03:53the dressing room. I don't think he's quite at the level to play in the top flight anymore
03:57but his experience as I mentioned is so, so important. Sometimes players can have a real
04:01impact just from the dressing room and not actually from playing minutes but he is definitely
04:04good enough to be playing minutes. He's someone they really miss when he's not playing and
04:09as I said Mowbray really enjoys having him in the squad.
04:11They've been very difficult to beat this season, West Brom, but they've just not picked up
04:15enough victories. 16 draws is just ridiculous isn't it at this point of the season. 35 games
04:22in, 16 draws. It's been boring at times for Albion fans to say the least. Obviously it's
04:28better than being defeated in matches but you'd rather win one, lose one, win one, lose
04:32one in terms of points totals and when it's so tight in that top six race, you see Middlesbrough,
04:36you think they're dead set to finish there, then they fall away. Coventry come out of
04:40nowhere. West Brom need to start winning games, they need to start winning games quickly.