Mowbray feeling sick as West Brom's fate looks sealed

Apr 7 2009 by Christopher Lepkowski, Birmingham Post

Tony Mowbray was forced home from training ill yesterday – whether it was something he’d eaten or West Bromwich Albion’s predicament which made him feel queasy was not established.

The Baggies players are putting a brave face on the prospect of another relegation.

Albion are now eight points adrift with just seven games left to play.

Jonas Olsson, Albion’s rugged centre-half, might be thinking the same as most but he’s refusing to acknowledge it publicly.

But even he accepts that it will need something akin to a miracle to keep the club in the Premier League.

Operation Miracle, if you could call it that, begins with Saturday’s game at Portsmouth.

“We are a long way behind but I am still hoping and believing that we can do it,” said Olsson.

“Let’s just hope. Everyone will say that we are down but we have to still believe and we do.

“We know it’s going to be tough because Saturday’s game was one three-pointer that we really needed but now we just have to go on to Portsmouth and try to beat them instead.

“That’s the way it works and it’s how you have to think as a player.

“I think hours after the game you have to be devastated because that’s the sign that we are all passionate about it and we all do really care.

“From now we have to keep going and keep believing. That’s the only way to turn it around.

“I don’t want to think about next season yet because we still have a chance to stay up.

“That’s the way I see it and I try to focus on the present.”