West Brom: Carlton Palmer sends clear message to Devante Cole on his Baggies future | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer spoke to FLW to discuss Devante Cole's future at West Brom

Carlton Palmer believes that Devante Cole has a future at West Brom, despite his lack of playing time since moving to The Hawthorns in the summer.

Cole joined the Baggies after a successful spell with Barnsley in the summer transfer window, penning a two-year deal, but he's been unable to replicate his form in the Championship, and he's played just two first-team games for Carlos Corberan's side.

The 29-year-old has played just 14 minutes of Championship football this season, and he hasn't appeared for the Baggies since an EFL Cup defeat to Fleetwood Town on the 13th August, leading to concerns that his move to The Hawthorns was the wrong decision.

He's also been left out of the matchday squad on four occasions by Corberan so far this season, but Palmer believes that Cole just has to bide his time, and that he will get opportunities as the season progresses.

Former England and West Brom midfielder Palmer believes that West Brom's good start to the season has led to Cole's struggles for playing time, but that he will get chances as the season progresses, and it's up to the striker to take them.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer said: "Devante Cole has barely had a look in since his move to West Brom in July, he’s not seen many minutes and Daryl Dike’s on his way back, but I don’t believe that he should be looking for a way out.

“He’s just got to bide his time, he’s got to be patient, he stepped up levels to get to the Championship and West Brom are sat just two points off the top of the Championship.

“You’ve got to be patient and when you get the opportunity, you’ve got to take it.

“There’s a lot of football to be played this season and there will be a lot of opportunities for Devante Cole to play and when he gets those opportunities you’ve got to take them.

“I’ve always said, when you move to a football club you’ve got no given right to play week in week out. You’ve got to assess whether you’re going to get the game time and if the players ahead of you are doing well, then you have to bide your time.

“With the number of competitions and the number of games, you will get that opportunity, and when it comes you have to grab it with both hands.

“For me, Devante Cole, to just be patient, and he will get the right time to prove himself, and when the time comes he has to do it.”

It's not ideal, but Devante Cole just needs to be patient

It's clear that Cole's move to West Brom hasn't gone to plan just yet, but he just needs to work hard in training to impress Corberan, to ensure that he gives his boss no option but to select him.

Josh Maja has made an excellent start to the season, which has meant that Cole has struggled for minutes, and Maja's form is something that's out of his control, which means he just has to bide his time.

West Brom wouldn't have signed Cole just a couple of months ago if there wasn't a plan in place for him to get regular playing time as the season progresses, and when their squad depth is tested over the festive period, you can expect him to play on a more regular basis.

Ultimately, Cole was stepping up from League One to the Championship, and a top Championship club at that, meaning he was never going to walk straight into the starting XI.

He's played twice for the Baggies' U21 side in Premier League 2, and he's scored twice, doing all he can to prove a point and show that he's good enough.

While it may have been a frustrating start to life for Cole at The Hawthorns, there's bound to be injuries and a loss of form to players, which will open the door for playing opportunities, and it's then up to him to take those opportunities.