Baggies missed out on 28 targets in January

16 February 2011 17:21
Ashworth reveals transfer window frustration Dan Ashworth has defending the club’s dealings in the January transfer window revealing 29 strikers were targeted – yet only one signed. Carlos Vela arrived on loan from Arsenal until the end of the season but Albion were thwarted in their attempts to boost the first team squad for a number of reasons, Ashworth claims. The Sporting and Technical Director revealed his own frustration at not being able to bring in more players to help against the club’s relegation battle and understood how Albion fans were feeling after another disappointing January shopping spree. "I understand - I get frustrated as well," he said. "I don't think anyone is more passionate than I am or the staff at the club. "We're desperate to succeed. "As the chairman stated, January is basically for topping up, and we haven't historically done a great deal in January. "But January is very, very difficult. "We were unfortunate not to get John Carew in the end. "But it wasn't through lack of trying and not being willing to pay what people wanted us to pay. "He made a decision at the end of the day to go to Stoke City and I respect that. "We didn't sit on our backsides and do nothing through the window. "We actually made bids on 29 strikers in January to take on loan. "Some aren't available, some had work permit issues, two were not medically fit to come so we pulled out, and two moved within their countries because they didn't want to move their families. "It's a long drawn-out process.” Ashworth also defending the club’s decision not to strengthen the defensive ranks at The Hawthorns – despite having the worst defensive record in the Premier League. "From a defensive point of view we sat down and talked about strengthening,” he added. "But we had Jonas Olsson back fit, Gabriel Tamas back from suspension and Steven Reid was nearly fit again. "And, of the defenders we talked about, it was viewed by the technical staff they weren't any better than what we had, and they were more than happy to run with what we had."

Source: FOOTYMAD