Big Interview: James Morrison picks his West Brom squad of the century
He was loved by Baggies fans as a player and is now embarking on what looks set to be a successful coaching career with the club.
James Morrison experienced all the highs and lows football has to offer in the 12 years he starred in Albion’s midfield.
And now he has given a unique insight into his former team-mates after taking part in the Express & Star’s ‘squad of the century’ challenge.
Last month we asked fans to put together a dream team of players who have performed for the Baggies from the year 2000 onwards.
Squads had to be submitted in a World Cup format, with 82 people taking part.
Morrison also decided to tackle the challenge.
And his squad is very different from the one chosen by fans – with the 33-year-old giving some fascinating reasons for his selections.
Between the posts, Ben Foster, Russell Hoult and Tomasz Kuszczak made the public vote.
But while Mozza included Foster, Dean Kiely and Boaz Myhill were his back-up keepers.
“This has been really difficult but I’ve enjoyed it,” Morrison told the Baggies Broadcast podcast.
“Even picking the goalkeepers was tough.
“You have to have Foster. I didn’t realise how good he was until he left – you just took it for granted, really.
“But he was phenomenal.
“He could have easily played higher, but for some reason at Manchester United it didn’t kick off at the right time for him.
“But when he came to us he was unbelievable and you see it at Watford now.”
Morrison continued: “In at number two is Dean Kiely.
“Deano was in the latter stages of his career, but he was similar to Ben when it came to the saves he would make and his technique.
“I went for him because I can only imagine what he was like when he was younger.
“He made save, after save, after save.
“Before a game, he used to put his jumper over his head and still dive and save it.
“He was a real character and a top, top goalkeeper.
“Third choice was a difficult one between Boaz Myhill and Scott Carson.
“But I went for Boaz for a morale boost.
“He is a really upbeat and funny guy. But when you are called upon, when he stepped in for Foster, he always performed which is not easy because when you’re not playing every week you lose sharpness.
“Scott was a good friend of mine, but I think he had that England thing around him which halted him because he was a very good goalkeeper.”
When it came to picking his defenders, Morrison took a gamble and only named six.
“I’m going with six, but I’ve got Brunty (Chris Brunt) in midfield and he can fill in at left-back,” he continued.
“I’ve got to have Jonas Olsson – he was a special character.
“In the early days, he was the best passer at centre-half I had played with.
“Then it got to a stage where he was playing injured – for about three years we didn’t really see the real Jonas.
“Before that Spurs tried to sign him. He would be my entertainment value because he was a raving lunatic.
“He is the nicest guy off the pitch.
“But on it, he turned into an absolute lunatic and I don’t know where it came from.
“He would be spitting, fighting. There is the famous story in the Stoke tunnel where he was kicking the glass out of the pictures on the walls. The police came to the training ground after that.
“He was a lunatic and I always used to wind him up. If I kicked him in training, he would start chasing me around the training field.”
Gareth McAuley, Jonny Evans, Steven Reid, Paul Robinson and Mason Holgate were the other defenders to make Morrison’s squad.
“Gaz (McAuley) is another good friend of mine and solid as a rock,” the 33-year-old continued.
“He flourished with us.
“I put Jonny Evans in because he was like a Rolls Royce – he was such a good ball playing centre-half.
“He was playing in the wrong team really under Tony (Pulis), it didn’t really suit him.
“He even played left-back so he is another who can play in different positions.
“I’ve also gone for Holgate because he made a big impact on me. He was another who could play two positions – he got the nod over (Craig) Dawson really because Daws never used to come out for Christmas parties, he was really boring!
“And this team is all about togetherness and team spirit so he’s out.
“I’ve got Steven Reid at right-back. My room mate and a real leader.
“Then I went for Paul Robinson because he, too, was a lunatic, he’d tackle his grandma.
“I think he had 15 assists when we got promoted. You think of him being rough and tough, but he had quality as well.”
Morrison walked into the squad voted for by the public with the Scottish international receiving a huge 64 votes.
But he decided to make himself gaffer for this team.
And instead picked nine other hugely-talented midfielders.
“I’ve gone midfield heavy,” he said. “Jonathan Greening is in. He was a very good player, technically unbelievable. He used to score for fun in training, but could never score in matches.
“We always used to call him jigsaw because he’d fall to pieces in the box.
“I went for Darren Fletcher as well who will possibly be my captain, but that’s a tough decision. He was really talkative and led by example.
“I’ve gone for Gareth Barry. I just can’t imagine what he was like when he was at Man City and in his prime at Villa.
“He is always in the right place at the right time. His touch and passing are second to none.
“And he is also good for a social gathering – that team spirit again.
“Next I have gone for Graham Dorrans – what a fantastic player he was.
“There was that season when he banged in all those goals and danced around the Championship.
“He fully deserved all the accolades he got that season. It’s just a shame he didn’t kick on after.
“Injuries, managers, different things stand in your way – but ability-wise he was right up there.”
Morrison continued: “Zoltan Gera is a fans’ favourite, he could do everything and always gave 110 per cent.
“I’ve gone for Brunty, I started with Brunty in the Middlesbrough youth team so we have had a connection for all these years. On the pitch, he knew where I was going to pass it, where I was going to run. We had a great understanding.
“When you look to your left and you see Brunty you know what you are going to get – and his left foot was probably one of the best in the business.
“Next one might be a surprise, Jerome Thomas.
“This might be sentimental, we are very close friends but he is a player who on his day was unplayable. He was a right-footer who played on the left and could go both ways. He gave good defenders a hard time.
“At the top of his game he was as good as anyone.”
Jake Livermore and Nacer Chadli completed Morrison’s midfield selections.
He said: “I’ve gone Jake – another good one for a social. You just have to let Jake go really, let him run about and tackle.
“We are seeing the best of him this season, being captain has taken him to a new level.
“It was a tough call then between Youssouf Mulumbu, Matt Phillips, Claudio Yacob and Chadli.
“Mulumbu could have got in or Yac, but we’re going on ability wise and I don’t think they were as good as Barry in that defensive midfield role.
“Yac was an absolute hatchet man.
“It used to annoy me playing with him sometimes because he never used to move really or get the ball.
“He used to just sit in front of the back four. He did a good job but I just wanted a bit more, trying to get on the ball or run up the pitch.
“But he just stuck right in there. He did a great job, though.
“Mulumbu for a couple of seasons was right up there so this is very tough.
“And Phillps and (Harvey) Barnes too – but I went for Chadli on raw ability and what he could do.
“He didn’t really buy into Pulis-ball, which is a shame really because we had a good player there. But when he went to the World Cup with Belgium he really stood out. I could have put Robbie Koren in as well who was another top player.”
Romelu Lukaku, Peter Odemwingie, Kevin Phillips, Salomon Rondon and Jay Rodriguez are the striker’s who made the cut in Morrison’s squad.
“Lukaku speaks for himself with what he’s gone on to achieve,” the retired midfielder said. “When I played with him he was as raw as anything.
“He used to get a bit of stick for his touch, sometimes the ball would bounce off him.
“But give him a chance and bang – goal.
“Even in training he used to work on it all the time, he used to find the corners all the time.
“And he had that big personality. I remember him coming in and he would be telling the senior players what to do and we’d be like ‘you’re only 18.’
“But everyone took to him.
“He had to be patient because Longy (Shane Long) was doing so well.
“And we had Odemwingie who was a terrific player.
“I think the off the field stuff takes away what a good player he was. He got 15 goals in both seasons.
“I put big Rondon in so I’ve got two big strikers.
“He scored a fair few goals in a defensive team.
“We used to defend and he was up front on his own. He worked so hard.
“And then I have got Super Kev – I could have gone Dwight Gayle, but went with Kev. I think all-round Kev was a better player.
“Another one who would be good on a social.
“And Jay Rod always impressed me with his work-rate and goals.”
Morrison’s squad: Foster, Kiely, Myhill; Olsson, McAuley, Evans, Reid, Robinson, Holgate; Brunt, Greening, Fletcher, Dorrans, Barry, Gera, Thomas, Livermore, Chadli; Phillips, Lukaku, Odemwingie, Rondon, Rodriguez.
Express & Star poll squad: Foster, Hoult, Kuszczak; Reid, Dawson, Clement, Gibbs, Robinson, McAuley, Evans, Olsson; Brunt, Gera, Mulumbu, Koumas, Morrison, Pereira, Greening, Yacob; Phillips, Lukaku, Odemwingie, Taylor.
