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James Morrison opens up on West Brom's Alex Mowatt sale: I'd have made him captain Midfielder Alex Mowatt called time on five years at Albion on Friday as he completed a transfer to Championship rivals Derby County. James Morrison revealed the challenge of losing midfield “glue” Alex Mowatt just days before Albion’s Championship opener at Norwich. The Baggies shrugged off the unexpected blow of Mowatt’s sale to Derby, competed on Friday for around £700,000, with a superb 2-1 win at Carrow Road. But preparations were struck dramatically as Mowatt’s move to the east Midlands escalated late on Wednesday and Thursday. Mowatt made his Derby debut as a substitute in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Charlton, where briefly came up against ex-Baggies colleague Karlan Grant. Morrison confirmed he had been due to name long-serving Mowatt, 31, Albion’s club captain - an honour given instead to George Campbell - and said all of Albion’s preparation for the Norwich opener, and for much of pre-season, had been with the experienced Mowatt key. “I didn’t expect it, but that’s football,” Morrison told the Express & Star. “I can see why (he was sold), I can see why Alex took the security (of a two-year deal) as well. “You have to get over it pretty quickly. It’s the connection you have with him, what he was like in the dressing room. Subscribe now for HALF PRICE and catch every minute of our Albion coverage this season - from pre-season to the final whistle. CLICK HERE “He’s been here a number of years and he’s been a good servant. He was probably the glue in pre-season, knitting it together, but it’s a good opportunity for us to progress in that position.” Morrison added: “I think it was more the timing, wasn’t it? We did all the work, all the prep. “We had Thursday off, so all the prep was already done, and then you have to regroup and tinker.” The Baggies boss admitted he understands the move from all perspectives but could not hide the blow of losing Mowatt, who was influential in the dressing room. The former Barnsley man had just a year left on his contract at The Hawthorns and was one of the club’s bigger earners. Asked if he had much of a say in Mowatt moving on, Morrison added: “Did I have a say? I can see both sides, the business side and the player’s side, and from my side of really putting the work into him, and I know what a good player he is and how he is in the dressing room. “I had my eyes on him to make him club captain. But I’m happy. “It’s part of football, isn’t it? You’ve got to deal with it. Welcome to management - as simple as that.” New recruit Felix Horn Myhre started in place of Mowatt at Carrow Road. The Norwegian was given the nod over Jayson Molumby, who impressed from the bench. Morrison confirmed in an interview with BBC WM, meanwhile, that he would like to replace Mowatt. He said: “I would like to bring another one in to replace Alex, so we’ll be waiting to do that.”