West Brom make right call with worthy praise amid little fanfare
There were not too many surprises in the contracts offered or those released at Albion.
A new contract for big-earner Kyle Bartley drew a bit of debate on the day the defender turned 33, but he will be on far reduced terms if he stays at The Hawthorns, and his performances have warranted a renewal.
Those seven first-team squad members released – even longest-serving senior player Matt Phillips, 33 – were not a surprise. Albion had to be ruthless and there was no room for sentiment in any of the decisions when you factor in the financial situation post-Guochuan Lai, the ageing squad and the need for change.
The rest will depart with little fanfare, for several reasons, but in most cases for a lack of appearances and role as a regular for Carlos Corberan.
They were brought to the club in varying periods and under differing management and structures. Some were clearly stop-gap recruits.
