Yet Baggies head coach refuses to get carried away
ALAN Irvine reserved all the praise for his Albion players after today’s 4-0 thumping of Burnley completed a perfect week for the head coach.
The Hawthorns was still reverberating to the acclaim for his side after they followed up the victories over Tottenham and Hull with a high-quality showing against dogged opposition.
Two goals from Saido Berahino followed an opening goal by Craig Dawson in front of the Birmingham Road End, before the Baggies finished with a flourish and a fourth from Graham Dorrans.
It sent the club into this week’s preparations for Saturday’s test against Liverpool at Anfield in high spirits, and with Irvine particularly pleased to see his still-developing squad enjoying what he considers are just rewards.
“We’ve had three very good performances and results,” he said. “But the moment we get carried away this game comes back to bite you. So there will be none of that and it has already been spoken about.
“But I’m delighted for the players. They are good players, intelligent, good footballers who are also not afraid to work hard, who realise they’ve got jobs to do without the ball.
“We’ve got others sat on the bench and some who can’t at this moment even get in the squad. All of them will play an important role for this club I can assure you.
“Of course we will have setbacks along the way. This league is so demanding that is inevitable. But we have bright players who are able to respond to each other and I am confident if we put in the work I know we will, we will get the results we want.”
Asked if he had witnessed the perfect performance, Irvine responded: “I’m not sure there is such a thing – you are never 100 per cent satisfied.
“There was a little period in the second half when I was not happy with us but thankfully the players got control again and finished well.
"I think overall they have been terrific. I felt we were making progress even during the Everton game but of course you don’t get the result that enables that view to be heard.
“But we’ve still got a long way to go. We know that.”
And with signs of The Hawthorns fans now really warming not just to Irvine himself but the potential of the season, he added: “That was how I remembered this stadium when I used to come here as a visiting player.
"It was obviously terrific to hear everyone enjoying themselves. That’s what we want every time we play here because it means a great deal to the players too.”