Club News

Olsson hails Irvine approach ahead of new season

Tickets on general sale for Sunderland opener this Saturday

JONAS Olsson is enjoying life under Albion head coach Alan Irvine as the new Barclays Premier League season prepares to kick off.

The defender, 31, is entering his seventh year in a Baggies shirt, the sixth of which spent plying his trade in England’s top tier.

Olsson insists he is ready for the start of the 2014/15 campaign and feels the Black Country club have got a good pre-season under their belt.

And the experienced Sweden international has enjoyed his time to date spent working under Irvine, who was handed the reins at The Hawthorns in mid-June.
 
“He is very respected and I’ve only got good things to say about him so far,” Olsson said.

“He’s a nice man, a good coach and a nice person, which for me is very important.

“It’s vital to have a gaffer who you really respect as a person so you want to go those extra yards for him.

“It’s only positive feelings so far.

“He is very hands-on in training and I like that.”

Albion open the new season at home to Sunderland this Saturday (ko 3pm).

It is the fourth successive Premier League campaign the Baggies have started on home soil.

And Olsson, who found the net against FC Porto in the club’s final pre-season friendly at the weekend, is happy to be getting things underway in front of what will be strong support.

“It’s nice to start at home,” he said. “That’s always a good feeling, but there are no easy games.

“Hopefully we can get off to a good start.”

Tickets for Albion’s curtain raiser with the Black Cats are on general sale.

Seats for this category B fixture are priced £25 adults, £20 seniors, £15 under-21s/students and £10 under-17s.

Tickets are available online (click here), in person from the East Stand ticket office and by phone (0121 227 2227).