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23-05-2007, 19:40
http://www.expressandstar.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/kamara4.jpgBoss Tony Mowbray is holding out for a hero to seal Albion a Premiership return – and expects his big guns to fire on the Premiership stage.
The Derby camp have made no secret of their claim for the ground of the underdog for Monday’s Wembley showdown because of the star names in the Baggies camp.
Strikers Diomansy Kamara and Kevin Phillips and playmaker Jason Koumas are just three of Albion’s big hitters who are all expected to face the Rams.
And Mowbray is hoping Derby’s fears are proved justified by the performances of his potential match-winners on the Wembley stage.
“It’s important your big players turn up on the big days and I would suggest they have over the past few weeks,” said Mowbray.
“They’ve got one more big game to come and let’s hope they all turn up on Monday – if not it won’t be through lack of effort or motivation.
“That said, Derby have got one or two players themselves who can make a big impact on a football match.
“That’s what the game’s all about and it’s the beauty of football.
“You have to try and nullify the strengths of the opposition and try and accentuate your own strengths.
“Let’s hope we’ve got a hero in the ranks who can step forward and do the business for us.”
Albion head into Monday’s all-or-nothing final on the back of four straight wins after victories over Coventry, Barnsley and Wolves twice.
And Mowbray reckons the confidence his players can take from that sequence of results will only benefit their performance.
“The confidence levels of the team are good and they can go into the game with no nagging doubts in the back of their mind$ that they can perform well together,” said Mowbray.
“That still doesn’t guarantee it’s going to go well on the day, because it is all about the day.
“In a game such as this I would suggest form going into it doesn’t have a great bearing other than the fact the players will start the game feeling good about themselves.
“Events on the field can easily change that, but we would rather go into it in confident mode than on the back of four defeats.”
Mowbray is comfortable being made favourites to win on Monday both by Derby boss Billy Davies and the bookies.
“I’m not really interested in who is favourite – it has no bearing on the game whatsoever,” he added. “I don’t see anybody as favourites. I see two decent teams who want to try and win a football game.
“We’ve been favourites for virtually every single game we’ve played this season and some you win, some you lose.
“There is no extra pressure on the players. They know what this game is about and they’re very respectful of Derby.
“Let’s see if we come out on top in the game on Monday.”
More... (http://www.expressandstar.co.uk/2007/05/23/mowbray-seeking-a-hero/)
The Derby camp have made no secret of their claim for the ground of the underdog for Monday’s Wembley showdown because of the star names in the Baggies camp.
Strikers Diomansy Kamara and Kevin Phillips and playmaker Jason Koumas are just three of Albion’s big hitters who are all expected to face the Rams.
And Mowbray is hoping Derby’s fears are proved justified by the performances of his potential match-winners on the Wembley stage.
“It’s important your big players turn up on the big days and I would suggest they have over the past few weeks,” said Mowbray.
“They’ve got one more big game to come and let’s hope they all turn up on Monday – if not it won’t be through lack of effort or motivation.
“That said, Derby have got one or two players themselves who can make a big impact on a football match.
“That’s what the game’s all about and it’s the beauty of football.
“You have to try and nullify the strengths of the opposition and try and accentuate your own strengths.
“Let’s hope we’ve got a hero in the ranks who can step forward and do the business for us.”
Albion head into Monday’s all-or-nothing final on the back of four straight wins after victories over Coventry, Barnsley and Wolves twice.
And Mowbray reckons the confidence his players can take from that sequence of results will only benefit their performance.
“The confidence levels of the team are good and they can go into the game with no nagging doubts in the back of their mind$ that they can perform well together,” said Mowbray.
“That still doesn’t guarantee it’s going to go well on the day, because it is all about the day.
“In a game such as this I would suggest form going into it doesn’t have a great bearing other than the fact the players will start the game feeling good about themselves.
“Events on the field can easily change that, but we would rather go into it in confident mode than on the back of four defeats.”
Mowbray is comfortable being made favourites to win on Monday both by Derby boss Billy Davies and the bookies.
“I’m not really interested in who is favourite – it has no bearing on the game whatsoever,” he added. “I don’t see anybody as favourites. I see two decent teams who want to try and win a football game.
“We’ve been favourites for virtually every single game we’ve played this season and some you win, some you lose.
“There is no extra pressure on the players. They know what this game is about and they’re very respectful of Derby.
“Let’s see if we come out on top in the game on Monday.”
More... (http://www.expressandstar.co.uk/2007/05/23/mowbray-seeking-a-hero/)
