West Brom: Carlos Corberan issues honest admission over Devante Cole situation | OneFootball

Carlos Corberan has admitted that he wishes to play many of his West Brom squad more often, including Devante Cole.

The arrival of Devante Cole at West Bromwich Albion has been questioned by many Baggies supporters, but Carlos Corberan has admitted that he wishes the striker featured more often.

The 29-year-old frontman surfaced as Carlos Corberan's fourth recruit of the summer transfer window in the wake of the departure of Brandon Thomas-Asante, who finished as West Brom's top scorer in each of his two seasons after joining from Salford City.

Meanwhile, Cole scored 17 times for Barnsley in League One last season but moved on this summer following the expiration of his deal.

Cole has been a prolific goalscorer in the third tier of English football, and although there are significant doubts about whether he'll be able to translate that form to the Championship, Corberan has admitted that there are players like him he wishes he could utilise more often.

Cole penned 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 Corberan's side.

He's also been left out of the matchday squad on five occasions by Corberan so far this season, indicating that he is far down the pecking order at the Midlands outfit.

West Brom: Carlos Corberan issues Devante Cole admission

Corberan has admitted that he has a little regret for not utilising the Cole a little more up to now.

Speaking to BBC West Midlands via Birmingham Live, the Spaniard said: "We have Cole as another specific striker and he can play with [Josh] Maja too, but it's true that in the decisions I am making he has been more times not involved with the team than involved.

"It's true that he didn't make his full debut. There have been possibilities to do this before and probably this is something I can regret, that I haven't used him more.

"At the same time, when you need to pick 20 players, from 25, five aren't going to be involved. For sure, they have things they can add to the team."

"When you are part of a team you need to know there are different possibilities. You are playing as a starter and you have to work hard to stay as that. There are those starting on the bench.

"Some of these players don't play because you have a maximum of five subs, they need to work hard to get minutes and show they can help the team.

"After you have players who are not involved. We have 25 players here. 25 players that as a club we like.There is no players we don't like as a club.

"Me as a coach - nobody told me you don't have to have them. Every single player here, according to our possibilities, is a good option for us and I have agreed on this.

"I have 25 players, 22 outfield, and three goalkeepers. Of these 25, I can involve 20, so five players I like are out of the squad. I can play a maximum 16. So four I like are with five who aren't playing. Nine players you cannot use."

Devante Cole's West Brom problems will likely continue

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.

Not only that, but ultimately, Cole was stepping up from League One to the Championship, and a top second tier club at that, meaning he was never going to walk straight into the starting 11.

However, it seems as though the 29-year-old is not even being considered as a back-up option, with Corberan seemingly favouring the likes of Jed Wallace and Lewis Dobbin for that job. He also has a less than impressive record at any level above the third tier as well.

West Brom supporters would probably be more than fine with a short-term transfer by nature if they felt convinced of an immediate impact in the Championship, but it may take time for Cole to adapt to the second tier in any case and history suggests that very expectation could be a tall order.