Valerien Ismael
West Bromwich Albion won’t need to splash the cash to satisfy new boss Valerien Ismael. Ismael, who quit Barnsley to join the Baggies last month after a £2million compensation package was agreed, is settling into his new surroundings at The Hawthorns. He’s taken his first few training sessions, with the sole focus on drilling his unique philosophy into his new charges. Explaining his style of football at his first press conference on Monday,
Valerian Ismael said: “High-intensity football, high press, but with this team, we have the possibility to have more control in possession. My vision and my purpose is to become a complete team – out of possession to be unpleasant for the opponents, to dominate our opponents with our physicality and our intensity, but at the same time to have the possibility when we regain the ball to control the game and the opponents.”
Ismael has only made one signing to date, with ex-Barnsley captain Alex Mowatt following him from Oakwell to The Hawthorns. Further signings will no doubt follow, but Ismael is adamant that his philosophy will save Albion’s hierarchy money.
Valerian Ismael said: “The first short-term vision for me is the philosophy. We need to find the right player. This is the good thing for me with my philosophy, I don’t need the most expensive player or the best player, I just need the right player for the position. We need to find the right players, and the next step will be to prepare the guys and be ready to compete.”
The meticulous Frenchman has already told Albion’s transfer team what he needs for each position within his system. Chief executive Xu Ke – also known as Ken – will take the lead in negotiations with support from the head of recruitment Ian Pearce and ex-Chelsea CEO Ron Gourlay, who will be helping out in an advisory role.
Valerian Ismael added: “We are close with Ken, Ian Pearce and Ron Gourlay. We are working very close together. It’s the new way that the club wanted, and it’s exactly what I want. I need to have my focus on the pitch. I have explained to the club exactly the profile of players that I need in each position, so they know what we are looking for.”
