Shirley we'd be happy to keep him:-
http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/albion/10814864.Ward_would_be_happy_to_stay/?ref=twt
http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/albion/10814864.Ward_would_be_happy_to_stay/?ref=twt
I would prefer to play Vitalijs Maksimenko. The boy has something, and will go on to be a quality player. You don't play for the Latvian National team unless you're a bit handy. Like the ROI team. Certainly, neither of them are in those teams because they're left footed and have adopted playing left back.
If we stay in this division, no brainer IMO. If we got promoted we'd need better.
I'm not that fussed. He is an acceptable left back at this level, and if Oscar decides he trusts him and wants to keep him, then that's fair enough. But he's no better than Kerry Mayo in his prime, for me. Solid enough defensively, not too fussed about bombing on but will get forward at times, no pace but appears to make up for it with a strong work ethic. Appears to get his head down and get on with the job at hand, which isn't a negative thing in the slightest!
As much as I like Kerry, I don't think you can put him in the same bracket. Our only real gripe about Ward is that he is not as good as Wayne Bridge. He's better than any other left back we've had in the last 25 years though.
Anybody who compares Bridge with Ward is automatically going to come to the conclusion that Bridge is better. It's obvious to everyone in football.
But Ward is a competent Championship left back. We're a competent Championship club, so it's all good. Kerry Mayo was also a competent Championship left back, which at the time was acceptable. If our ambition is genuinely to be "PLR", then Ward isn't going to be enough.
Incidentally, I would rather we got Jimmy McNulty back in. Given a proper run in the side, I genuinely think he'd be a LOT better than Ward.
Mayo was an ok full back in a struggling championship team and nowhere near as good as Ward, even at his peak. McNulty can't even get in the Barnsley team and is on loan at League One Tranmere. I conclude you are on a wind up.