West Brom star warns QPR and Millwall: We want promotion

Exclusive by Alessandro Schiavone

A former Charlton Athletic academy graduate has warned the opposition, including QPR and Millwall, that West Bromwich look to end their two-year stay in the Championship.

Since miracle man Carlos Corberan took over back at the end of October, the Baggies have won nine of their 12 games.

The remarkable upturn the Spaniard has overseen is reminiscent of the job Steve Cooper did last term at Nottingham Forest, whom he guided to a shock promotion despite a miserable start to the campaign.

Hence, considering Corberan’s impressive job at Huddersfield culminating in a bitter play-off final defeat in 2022 after few people had taken a punt on the Terriers, Sami Ajayi thinks that the Baggies can do the same or even go one step further.

They sit just one point behind Millwall and three ahead of QPR in tenth and fancy their chances of returning to the Premier League after dropping down under ex-West Ham boss Sam Allardyce in 2021.

Even the division’s finest side Burnley left it late in beating them as it took them a perfect free-kick from Sam Twine to do so a fortnight ago.

Ajayi said: “Promotion is definitely the target for this season. A club of this size has to be going for promotion every season. That’s absolutely what we’re trying to do.

“The results have just picked up [since Steve Bruce had to make way for Carlos Corberan]. So, I think the group is playing with a lot more confidence.

“And we can see the results of that, so yeah, I think wins are very important for confidence and the boys are playing with a lot of it right now. May that continue.”

“I think picking up three points helps. When we win consistently and get results, it breeds confidence. Whatever the manager is telling us to do, the boys are acting upon that information very well so far.”

Despite Burnley and Sheffield United looking out of sight and destined to play in the top-tier next term, the former Addick said: “Listen, we have to take it one game at a time. There’s no point looking that far ahead and chase them. We just have to make sure we focus on our next game and try to get the three points. That’s all we can do.”

The resurgent Baggies host Millwall on the first of April before welcoming QPR to The Hawthorns nine days later. It remains to be seen whether the two London sides and West Brom are still in the mix by then.