Valerien Ismael is likely to take an even closer look at a host of West Brom’s academy players ahead of the new season by offering them the opportunity to impress in the club’s forthcoming pre-season friendly campaign. Albion will play Sheffield Wednesday, Woking, Watford and Birmingham City in the build up to the new Championship term, and during those ties, fans can expect run-outs for a number of young starlets who have already caught the new boss’ eye in training.
Valerian Ismael said: “We have three or four players who have already made an impression. My first feeling is good. There is a high standard of work being done in the academy. I just need to see the next two and three weeks for confirmation from the performance. We will have a lot of games in pre-season, and that will give us a clear picture on the young guys, but we need time to assess the squad, we don’t need to rush in the transfer market.”
Much has been made, meanwhile, of a perceived style of play that Ismael adopted at Barnsley. Do Albion have the players to adapt to such a system and deliver on such demands? Is it a particularly attractive way of playing? The one thing that can’t be overlooked is the success rate at Oakwell. Ismael tasted victory 23 times in 41 league games in charge there because the inherited group immediately bought into his philosophy. At Albion, he’ll need similarly open minds. Then, with a bit of luck, those who are returning to The Hawthorns in August, most who haven’t been to a game since March 2020, will be sufficiently entertained and satisfied.
Valerian Ismael said: “I hope for sure that the fans will be proud about our way of playing. It’s all about working together and having a work ethic for the guys. We will need every player. Every player counts for our philosophy, and togetherness is very important. It’s just a mentality thing now to implement in the squad, but since I’ve been here, since the first day’s training, the guys have had the right reaction and the right mentality, and at the minute, they are ready to invest a lot of energy. This is the emotional connection we missed last season, and for sure, for us with our way to play, with the support from our fans, combined with that intensity it could be something massive. This is what we work on, to have a real support at home, and we need to build a strong home team able to beat anyone.”
