James Morrison has taken a swipe at the club’s January transfer policy claiming the board lacks the ambition to help the Baggies progress as a Premier League club.
The stand-in skipper against the Canaries believes the Baggies can establish themselves as a top-ten club in the Premier League – but only if the board strengthens the first-team squad.
A frustrated Morrison was speaking after a proposed loan deal for Hungarian international Szabolcs Huszti was called off over concerns about his fitness. So far, only youngster Scott Allan has joined the club, with Albion preferring to use the January transfer window as a ‘topping-up’ opportunity.
The Scottish international says Albion have the players to establish themselves as a force in the Premier League, but new faces would be welcome after injuries to a number of key figures.
“We’ve had injury problems. This club can go places but it doesn’t build. We just settle for being in the Premier League and I believe with the group of players we’ve got we can kick on,” he said.
“We’ve players here who can easily play top-half football.
“We just need a few reinforcements to the squad because a lot of players are playing a lot of games and a lot of minutes.
“I’ve got ambitions to progress and this club can do it. It just needs a little bit of help.
“The manager is an ambitious guy. He’s been like that all through his career, and the fans deserve it as well.
“Hopefully we can get a few new faces in and kick on.
“That’s what my point is, so that’s why I’m not getting carried away with players coming in.
“The lads have just got to keep plugging away and not get carried away by this result.
“Anyone coming in always gives you a lift and it keeps you on your toes.
“It always gives the crowd a lift, but it will probably be someone you don’t know.”
Morrison added: “We’ve got players that can kick on. We finished 11th last season and we could better that because we’ve got good players.
“We’ve got seven points, which is a decent gap, but we’ve just got to keep plugging away because it’s not nice being dragged down there and looking over your shoulder at the bottom three.
“When you’re playing you’re conscious of it.
“I think every player in our dressing room is ambitious, you can see that coming from someone who has been here since we got relegated, to getting back into the Premier League, to staying up last season and finishing 11th.
“We just want to keep progressing and you want to do your best for your career.”
Do you agree that Albion's heirarchy lack ambition? Have your say here at Baggies Banter.