News roundup

28 July 2005

It's been an eventful week so far at The Albion. Striker Diomansy Kamara has joined in a ?1.5 million move from Modena after spending last season at Portsmouth, whose fans wanted to keep him but whose new management appeared to disagree. Kamara is a talented striker with great pace, and scored 6 goals in 19 appearances for Pompey. Although born in France, he plays International football with Senegal and can play on either wing or down the middle.

Waving a permanent goodbye is defender Darren Purse, who joins Cardiff City on a three year deal. "The deal is all done and Darren is delighted" said his agent, apparently oblivious to the players statement last week that he wanted to stay at Albion and fight for his first team place. Earlier in the summer, Purse claimed that he was the best central defender at the club - although we know of quite a few BOING readers who would have happily driven him to Cardiff themselves if he needed a lift...

Also leaving, though on a less permanent basis, is Jason Koumas, who joins Cardiff City on a season-long loan deal. The talented but enthusiasm-challenged midfielder left on something of a sour note after being quoted in the South Wales Echo saying:

"I've wasted a season at West Bromwich Albion, it's been an absolutely torrid time, my worst nightmare, and I have to say I can't leave there quick enough. I don't want to say too much, but it's been very frustrating and I'll be glad to see the back of him"

The "him" is Albion manager Bryan Robson, who fined Koumas two weeks wages for failing to turn up for pre-season training, and who had previously come to agree with his predecessor's general view on Koumas as a talented player who needed to work a lot harder. Feel free to create your own sentence using the words "burned" and "bridges".

Elsewhere, former Albion player Sekou Berthe had a nightmare in his trial game at Brighton and Hove Albion where his first touch of the ball was to plant it into his own net. Brighton went on to lose the game against Oxford 4-1 with Berthe being found wanting again for Oxford's third. BOING reader Dave Neale was there, and reckoned "I can now see why Berthe never featured more for Albion. He passed the ball well but looked painfully short on basic defending ability."

During the summer a number of ex-Albion people have been on the move. Former manager Ossie Ardiles was sacked as manager of Tokyo Verdy, Des Lyttle was released by Forest Green Rovers and joined Worcester City, Trevor Benjamin has joined Peterborough and Kevin Donovan left York and signed for Alfreton Town. All this information, and more, on ex-Baggies can now be found in the Where are they Now? feature compiled by Simon Wright and hosted by Bob Dunning.

Previous Stories:

  23 July 2005:  Albion WILL play Sporting Lisbon

  21 July 2005:  More from Portugal

  20 July 2005:  Purse gone?

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