West Brom transfer decision doesn't guarantee starting spot and squad number proves it
Tony Mowbray has refused to confirm that the returning Josh Griffiths will automatically walk into the West Brom starting XI in place of the departed Alex Palmer, having been recalled from his loan spell at Bristol Rovers.
Griffiths, 23, spent the first half of the season at the Memorial Stadium for the League One Gas and impressed, but has been summoned back after Albion sold first choice Palmer to Ipswich Town on transfer deadline day. Now, Griffiths will compete with existing option Joe Wildsmith ahead of the visit of Sheffield Wednesday this Saturday lunchtime.
Mowbray paid tribute to Palmer, who will look to keep the Tractor Boys in the Premier League and whose sale allowed Albion to strengthen elsewhere in their squad before the window closed. Assumptions that Griffiths, who has 159 career appearances under his belt but of which only 10 have come in the Championship, will line up without a second thought are misplaced.
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"Was it the right thing for the club? When you take everything into consideration, all the financial things - yes," Mowbray reflected on the sale of Palmer. "If it did help bring in Tammer [Bany] for instance, or [Adam] Armstrong's salary, then it makes sense to me. Sometimes you have to let one go to add in other areas.
"I think we're still pretty strong in goal - I know there's a debate about who is going to play this week, Wildsmith or Josh Griffiths? It's good we've got competition. I would like them to fight it out really, but somebody's got to start this week, let's see what happens in the next game and the next game. We didn't bring Josh back and give him number one, I think you've got to earn it in my mind.
"I've got no problem them having different numbers and then some stage - maybe the start of next season - we have to have a number one. I've only watched on video Griffiths' goalkeeping, sessions and playing at Bristol. Joe has been here in every meeting, every training session, worked really hard, let's see how they compete and who gets the number one for next season. I only met Josh two days ago, he's a big presence but still a boy from what I can see.
"It's difficult for me to go 'you've been playing for Bristol Rovers, awesome, let's get you in our goal'. I've seen Joe train every day, he keeps the ball out the net generally. I don't sit here thinking 'I hope I don't have to play the number two' and I've been at clubs where I've had that. I think we've got two goalies who can compete to be number one and whoever misses out will be unfortunate."
