Hodgson salutes signing successes

15 May 2011 07:30

West Brom boss Roy Hodgson heaped praise on the club's sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth after the 1-0 win over Everton for discovering Peter Odemwingie and Youssuf Mulumbu.

Leading scorer Odemwingie teed up Mulumbu for the only goal of the game to make Albion's points tally 19 from 11 games under Hodgson but the former Liverpool manager was happy to give the credit to Ashworth as the Baggies moved onto 46 points and in position to finish as the midlands' leading club in the Barclays Premier League.

"This group of players I have inherited have done a fantastic job for the club, they've done a fantastic job for me," he said. "I've got to make sure all the credit for what we've achieved goes to all the players that are here But Dan Ashworth and the scouting staff must take all the credit for Odemwingie and Mulumbu and any other players you care to mention."

He added: "They are players that come into the club for relatively small amounts of money and have succeeded.

"It is almost impossible to make every signing a winner.

"But, if you get it right, in the way he's got it right with Mulumbu and Odemwingie, he's going to be very happy."

Hodgson admitted he will be striving to strengthen the squad for next season.

He said: "We will be working hard - myself, Dan Ashworth and (owner) Jeremy Peace - to try and make sure we put together a squad of players that keeps us in the league next season.

"At this period of time, there are lots of players looking for clubs, lots of clubs looking for players so there will be activity during this close season.

"At the moment I don't have anything I can tell you of any interest and if you give me a list of the players we are supposedly associated with, I doubt if I would recognise more than 30% of them."

Source: PA