Fabian Huerzeler wants to avoid another banana skin – in any language - at the Amex.
Albion today take on a Wolves side (3pm) who are bottom of the Premier League with one point but have usually been very competitive in games.
They have pushed Liverpool and Manchester City close in recent games, led at Aston Villa and let a winning position slip through their fingers against Newcastle.
Albion boss Huerzeler was confronted with a literal translation of ‘banana skin’ into German ahead of the game and got the message, even though there is no equivalent term for an under-stated hazard.
He said “Honestly, I never heard this, but I know Bananenschale (literally, a banana’s skin) and I also know the joke, a lot of jokes about Fritz - you always start the joke with ‘Fritz’, he’s the main character of jokes - when he slips on a Bananenschale and falls down, so I know these jokes.
“They are funny but hopefully we won’t see a Bananenschale at the weekend, and hopefully we play serious, we take this challenge seriously and we have the right mindset.
CAN HUERZELER TAKE CLUES FROM CUP TIE?
“Because I think it’s clear there are different mindsets if you go to Newcastle and play a tough game there instead of playing a home game against the team last in the Premier League.
“But Wolves for me are a good team. I mean it, seriously.
“They have strong players, they always have a good idea.
“Gary O’Neil always has great ideas to face an opponent. He proved it last weekend against City.
“Hopefully we have the right idea, the right gameplan and the right mindset to not slip.”
He added: “We weren’t able to win against Nottingham and Ipswich at home.
“There were already two Bananenschales so hopefully there won’t be a third one.”
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