Mowbray's exit as Baggies boss makes Luton's plans for Albion clash 'slightly different'

Luton’s preparations for their biggest game of the season at West Bromwich Albion have been made ‘slightly different’ due the recent sacking of Tony Mowbray as the club’s manager according to Town chief Matt Bloomfield.

The 61-year-old was only appointed in charge at the Hawthorns back in January, signing a two-and-a-half year deal, but was then sacked three months later following a run of five defeats in six that saw the Baggies fall out of the play-off picture, as sitting in 10th, five points adrift of the top six, it means they have nothing left but pride to play during tomorrow’s last game of the campaign.

First team coach James Morrison, who made over 340 appearances for the club during his playing career has taken temporary charge, his only game so far a goalless draw at Cardiff City last weekend that relegated the Bluebirds to League One, while also ending the Baggies’ play-off ambitions for another season as well.

Asked how a new face in the dug-out alters the kind of analysis he has been able to do, Bloomfield said: “Whenever there’s a change of manager it makes it slightly different, so we look at the bigger picture in terms of what their last month, six weeks, look like, but also what did the game look like last Saturday? We try and see what aligns, see if there’s anything slightly different that they’re going after, so it makes it slightly different but I feel like we’re prepared and we’re ready to go.”

Although Albion haven’t had the kind of season they wanted, and now have to spend a fifth successive year in the second tier, they still have some real talent in their squad. Top scorer Josh Maja is out with a leg injury, but despite his absence, top Championship players in Karlan Grant, Alex Mowatt and Adam Armstrong all featured in their most recent outing, as Bloomfield continued: “They’ve got some really, really good players.

"Players who have been at this level and successful for a number of years. They’ve obviously been competing up the top of this league for a few years now and have got some players of real Championship experience. Where they are and their football club, I can’t take our focus away from us and again I apologise to keep bringing it back to that, but I have to just focus on us.

"We’ve had some really good games recently against opposition at the top of the league, round where we are and this is a different game for us, but one we absolutely respect our opponent and the quality they have. We have to focus on us putting on a performance and understanding the strengths they’re going to bring. We’ve got a tough game on our hands tomorrow and we have to approach it as such and we absolutely will.”

The fact that Luton find themselves in the position of being able to secure their Championship status in the West Midlands is something that didn’t look like being on the cards just a few weeks back when they were beaten 1-0 on home soil by Blackburn Rovers. However, a run of three straight victories for the first time this term, and six wins from 11 fixtures, means Town’s destiny is in their own hands, which is something Bloomfield was extremely proud of.

He stated: “When you have it (momentum) you have to cherish it because it’s not always easy to go and grab, but we feel like we’ve had it for a little while now. It’s about focusing on the performance, focusing on the job, using those psychological benefits that we’ve had from the run of form that we’ve been in, but none of that counts if we don’t perform tomorrow, so it’s absolutely focusing on the present, making sure the boys are calm and coming out to perform tomorrow.

“There’s been some low moments no doubt about that, there’s been some real testing moments that have needed a high level of resilience, but they’re characteristics that a lifetime in this industry gives you and they’re absolutely pivotal to create an environment that we wanted to create, turn around a situation we wanted to turn around. I’m glad we’re sitting here right now with a chance of doing what we can tomorrow, as it gives us an opportunity.”

Asked just what Town’s upturn in results has meant to Bloomfield, who left a Wycombe side sitting in the League One promotion places to head to Kenilworth Road as Rob Edwards’ replacement in January, added: “That it’s given us an opportunity to stay in the division as we needed to do that to stay in the division, so that’s the most pleasing thing, that we’re going into the game tomorrow with an opportunity, that’s absolutely number one.

"The way we’ve been able to build belief with our supporters and show what we’re about as a coaching and management team too. We spent the first half of the season at over two points a game and to go through that little spell when we came in, we really believed in the group and believed in the work we wanted to do, but we knew there was a lot of work to do.

"It’s just been nice to see some smiles on faces recently around our ground, at the sponsors dinner on Tuesday, at the Supporters’ Trust evening, so that’s been pleasing. Seeing Luton people smiling again has been lovely because it certainly wasn’t that when we got in the building. So to see everyone smiling again is really rewarding, but it has to come back to getting the job done tomorrow. We’ve got one really big effort that we have to leave out on the pitch tomorrow afternoon and that’s what it comes down to.”