Carlos: Hopefully we can achieve something great again

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Midfielder targets a strong end to the season as Albion chase a second European campaign.

Charlie Hanson

2025-04-24T10:45+01:00

Carlos Baleba trains ahead of Saturday's game against West Ham United. 📷 Paul Hazlewood.

This campaign is proving to be the breakthrough season of Carlos Baleba’s career.

The all-action 21-year-old midfielder arrived at the Amex in summer 2023 at the age of 19, the Cameroon international having made just six league starts in his career for previous club Lille. He joined an Albion side competing in Europe for the first time in our history and would make 15 Premier League starts in his first year with us.

However, under Fabian Hurzeler the midfielder has been a near ever-present, starting 24 Premier League games this season. The German’s belief in Carlos has been amply rewarded, and the player himself has earned plenty of plaudits for his ability to shrug off opposition players in the heart of the Albion midfield. Against Leicester City, he played in central defence and showcased his versatility.

“I think that I have improved a lot,” Baleba said of the season. “I’ve progressed a lot in comparison to last season. I think it’s thanks to the coach that I have become a member of the team and thanks again to the coach because he has confidence in me and that I can express myself and give the best of me. He makes us run, he tells us to always be together, to take joy in playing and to believe in ourselves. He wants us to believe in our qualities and to go from there.”

The messaging from the head coach has been key too. Fabian has hammered home the importance of unity as a squad through good times and bad, and that has rubbed off on Carlos.

“For me, one of the keys to our success this season has been sticking together. All together – when we win, when we lose or when we draw, we stay together. We are united,” said Carlos. “No matter what happens we don’t argue. We just focus on the next match, and we always believe in ourselves. It’s about being together and believing in our abilities.”

And who would he say are key within the dressing room to help that?

“Well, I would pick out Lewis Dunk, the captain. He always has the desire to win and to do more, to show more quality and to bring the team towards the top. He’s a pretty inspirational player for all of us. And I would pick Jan Paul van Hecke. He has the most desire. He always wants to win and he want everyone in the team to show their quality as individuals.

“When there is a pass that isn’t good, he screams! He doesn’t scream for you to close up and stop the opponent, he screams so you can do good things on the pitch. He believes in his teammates a lot and he is very positive. Everyone believes in us, Everyone believes in their teammates, and it gives us strength, especially thanks to these two big examples in the team. I’m going to pick another – James Milner. He has had an injury for most of the season but he is there for us and he gives us advice and he is really behind the young players that are still learning and I like that a lot.”

Carlos Baleba showed his versatility by playing in central defence against Leicester City. 📷 James Boardman.

Praise from fans and pundits has been warmly received by Carlos, but he doesn’t want to get too far ahead of himself.

“It’s nice to hear that that people would describe me as good technically. For me personally, I don’t feel I’ve arrived where I need to be, to be brilliant like the fans say. I still have to work hard and be like the players that have made a mark in the history of football.”

The midfielder does have some frustrations this season though. A glorious chance to score what would have proved to be a winner in our 2-2 draw with Manchester City last month was missed, although Carlos wants to use that as an opportunity to grow and improve.

“After the miss, at the end of the match I told myself, ‘Oh no I missed it, I missed a goal that could have helped the team win’. But then I watched the video and I saw that I was alone and that I could have had a second touch and finish it. And when people speak to me about it I felt really bad. But after that I put myself together. With the international break I was able to turn the page. The next time I will try to take in the information and if I’m alone like that in the box next time to take an extra touch!”

Albion go into Saturday's game against West Ham at the Amex within shooting distance of the top eight in the Premier League – positions that could ensure some form or European football next season. There is so much more to play for.

Carlos admits his miss in the 2-2 draw at Manchester City affected him... 'I watched the video and I saw that I was alone and that I could have had a second touch and finish it.' 📷 James Boardman.

Carlos, like the club, got his first taste of European competition during the 2022/23 season. He says the possibility of repeating that next season isn’t something that is discussed in the dressing room though, with the team focussing on the here and now which means taking three points off the Foxes today.

“Am I convinced that we can qualify for Europe? I do not know what to say on this, but we are here to go to Europe. We are going to look for the maximum points to book a place in Europe. We are going to look for it. We are going to take it match by match. We are not going to say we are going to Europe because we might have a bad match but we are going to keep going and hopefully achieve something great for the club again.”

Yankuba Minteh is the featured Albion star in this Saturday's match programme against West Ham. Look out for it and all your other usual features, available from sellers around the Amex!