As featured on NewsNow: Football news

West Brom boss Allardyce: Fringe players demanding more playing time

West Brom boss Sam Allardyce admits his fringe players are demanding more playing time.

But he has warned them they will only force their way back into the side by conducting themselves right on and off the field.

Allardyce didn't reveal which members of his squad have approached him asking for more game time.

But Branislav Ivanovic, Kieran Gibbs, Romaine Sawyers, Jake Livermore, Grady Diangana and Karlan Grant are all high-profile players who haven't featured a lot under the former England boss.

“I have to give all the players credit for the camaraderie amongst them," Allardyce said.

“There are one or two players who are not happy about not being selected.

“They are looking at me saying 'why are you not picking me?' That always happens.

“They don't realise what they do on a day-to-day basis or when they play – they select themselves or deselect themselves.

“When players tell me I've dropped them – what they don't realise is I haven't dropped them, they have dropped themselves.

“That's been the case now for many, many, years because of the data we have.

“I look at the data on every single player in training and I look at the data of every single player in a match.

“I look at their body language in training, I look at how dedicated they are when it comes to what extras they do.

“And quietly I look along and think 'it's going to be difficult for you to get in because I can't see you changing my mind.'

Video of the day:

About the author

Paul Vegas

×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

  1. Go Ad-Free
  2. Faster site experience
  3. Support great writing
  4. Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free
×

Subscribe and go ad-free

For only $10 a year

Subscribe now
Launch Offer: 2 months free