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{ Hodgson relying on more than words(UKPA) – 2 hours ago

West Brom head coach Roy Hodgson has warned he does not have any "magic words" to offer the team ahead of Sunday's crucial Black Country derby.

Instead, new boss Hodgson is hoping that "persistent training" will provide the key to success as West Brom look to turn around their form.

Hodgson said: "You live through bad football results, and hopefully you try to put them behind you and you try to analyse why it was a bad result. Then you try to work hard to make certain that you're better prepared next time to get good results."

He added: "I think that the best way to work psychologically with players is to make sure your training sessions challenge them and that you give them plenty to think about.

"That there's a few magic words that someone can come in and say to a team and their problems are dispelled, and all the sadness of recent weeks suddenly disappears, for me is a complete myth."

Hodgson was clear on how he can improve the team.

"Persistent training," he said. "For me, football from Sunday to the next Saturday is rehearsal."

The former Switzerland boss added that the current stage of the season limits opportunities for a quick fix.

He said: "A large factor which we can do nothing about now is the area of recruitment, making certain that you have the right type of players, with the right mental attitude and with the skills.

"There's only a limited amount of training we can do at the moment without running the risk of tiring the players out and leaving a lot of what we want to bring out into the game on Sunday out on the training field."

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