Deal or no deal: Lewis Cox & Jonny Drury on West Brom's out of contract players

Express & Star

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.

Transcript

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.

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