Striker Roman Bednar has been appointed as Michal Danek’s Albion ‘minder’ as the Czech goalkeeper settles in at The Hawthorns.

Baggies boss Tony Mowbray has asked Bednar to look after his former youth international colleague during his early weeks in England.

But Mowbray has backed 24-year-old Danek to break through the language barrier quickly and become a hit at The Hawthorns.

Danek speaks little English but he has found a familiar face and a fellow Czech speaker in Bednar, whom he played with for the Czech Republic’s youth team.

Mowbray said: “I’m sure it’s something we will overcome very quickly. We need to make sure Roman stays close to him, they know each other from when they were younger and have struck up a bond again as you would expect from fellow countrymen.

“We hope that he will pick up English very quickly. He obviously understands a little but at this moment he’s not fluently speaking the language and as goalkeeper there are only so many words he needs to pick up – like ‘get out’, ‘get tight’, whatever.

“I’m sure he will learn those very quickly. I’m sure he will pick it all up very quickly.

“There’s a train of thought that if you do bring foreign players into the football club you should bring two of them in to help them settle.

“And while there was no design to bring Michal in just because Roman’s here, I’m sure they can help each other, whether with domestic stuff of paying bills, setting up bank accounts, talking to landlords or whatever it is.”

Danek is likely to make the Baggies squad to take on Burnley at The Hawthorns tomorrow but it is believed that Mowbray will keep faith with veteran Dean Kiely for the time being at least.