Bilic has blast
VHARD MAN Slaven Bilic isn’t afraid to get heavy with hisWest Brom players.
Bilic goes into today’s clash at Barnsley with his side top of the pile, having suffered their only league defeat of the season at Leeds back in October.
Striker Charlie Austin revealed that while life under the Croatian has been sweet, no one who would want to cross him, saying: “At QPR, he was fed up with the music in the dressing room and put his own stuff on. I think it was Metallica. Nobody dared tell him to turn it off!”
LEE BOWYER has backed Ben Purrington to bounce back after the shame of being hauled off after just 27 minutes.
The Charlton left-back has suffered a dip in form and a nightmare start at QPR on Saturday prompted his subbing.
Addicks manager Bowyer said: “He looked nervous and it’s part of my job to make decisions like that. Is it harsh to take someone off before half-time? Of course it is. But he’ll come through it.”
JONNY HOWSON reckons a day’s clay-pigeon shooting can help strugging Middlesbrough beat the drop. strugglers Stoke enabled them lto ose the tag of the Championship’s lowest scorers. And they go into today’s home game with Huddersfield – one point and one place above them in the table – looking to pull further away from trouble.
Howson, at 31 Boro’s oldest outfield player, was relegated twice with Norwich while Leeds crashed into the third tier in his first season there. Howson said: “I’m fully aware of the feelings that relegation brings and you don’t like talking about it too much.
“But in all honesty, I don’t see too many similarities from then to now. “OK, we’ve had some disappointing results but putting that to one side, everything else is really positive around the place.
The management and feel very much together.
“In the past – I’m not saying there were big problems – but it was more a feeling of day in, day out, everywhere it was with you. Here the atmosphere is really good.”
Howson feels the inexperience around him could work in Boro’s favour, saying: “In one way, there is more responsibility on my shoulders and there may be times teammates may need help, but the flip side is that youngsters often play with no fear.
“It’s all so new to them that they’re not worried by poor form, league position or stuff like that. I believe that can help us in the months ahead.”
Boro will face a newly confident Huddersfield side with skipper Christopher Schindler believing the good times are ahead.
The Terriers are improving under new boss Danny Cowley and Schindler said: “After the long-suffering period of the last one-and-a-half years, I’m glad we can win tight games.
“The main difference is that we’re playing as a team. We’re helping each other out.” squad