Mowbray happy to accept Albion praise
Even Tony Mowbray, not normally a man for wild predictions, had to admit his side have probably done enough to earn a return to the Premier League following the 1-1 draw with Southampton.
While West Bromwich Albion are still not mathematically certain of promotion, their immense positive goal difference means third-placed Hull City require a 13-goal swing on Sunday to deny Mowbray's men a place at English football's top table.
Mowbray, whose measured off-field persona is at stark contrast with the élan with which his team play football, believes Albion have done enough to justify their tag as the best team in the Championship. Albion sit top of the table and know a victory at Queens Park Rangers in five days' time will see them take the title.
"Even I will have to confess it is going to be a strange series of events at the weekend for it not to happen. The players in the dressing-room are talking about enjoying the moment," Mowbray said. "They want to win the league that is a strong feeling they have got. They want to finish the season off with a very positive performance.
"I am delighted for the players, supporters and staff. It has been a long, hard slog of a season especially on the back of the play-off defeat last year and the changes we had to make in the summer. We have been called the 'best team in the league' and it's been on our back all year.
"There were three teams coming from the Premiership back into our league and that title can be a burden sometimes but it is great credit to the players they have overcome that and are almost there. They should enjoy the moment and hopefully they can finish the job off."
Mowbray, outed as a chocoholic a few days ago, said he would retire to the privacy of his own office, where he would celebrate with a 'couple of cubes of Fruit and Nut quite appropriate really'.
"You know the sort of guy I am. I don't generally show outward emotions but inwardly I enjoy it as much as everyone else and vice versa when we lose football matches I feel it the same as everyone else. I will enjoy the moment when I get home to my family and feel a certain warmth about the achievement of getting to the Premier League."
But after that his attention will turn to ensuring Albion do not make an immediate return to the Championship. "This job is about planning and preparing and being organised," he said. "The only way forward for any football club is to make sure you know where you are going and what direction you are going in.
"I think it is our responsibility to make sure we get it right and go into the Premier League as prepared as we can. Already I am thinking of the next game and where I am going this week to watch matches and players it doesn't stop."
He also paid tribute to his side's performance against a resolute Southampton team who led before Chris Brunt bagged a glorious equaliser. "I thought the team functioned well under the expectation, pressure and occasion. They have got some very good technical play-ers like Safri and Idiakez," he said. "They were very solid and we weren't direct enough in the first half to ask questions of their defence.
"We tried to change that and in the second half we came out with a real purpose and desire. How we didn't get our noses in front in a 20-minute spell was quite baffling."
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