Vice-captain Jonas Olsson has hailed centre-back partner Gabriel Tamas as Albion’s newest leader and would love to see the Romanian sign permanently.

Olsson saluted the character of Romania international Tamas, who has impressed since arriving at The Hawthorns in January on loan from Auxerre.

And Olsson, who looks set to partner Tamas at centre-back at Bristol City tomorrow, paid tribute to the former Dinamo Bucharest man’s character.

“He has adjusted really well,” said Olsson.

“If you’re a Championship player it’s a really tough game but he has done really well and speaks really good English as well and he is a nice guy.

“I think characters like him are needed all over the pitch.

“We lost two big characters over the summer with Jonathan Greening and Paul Robinson going and, with this season being so long, we need experienced players and people pushing other people.

“I think I am one of those players and Gabi is also a character like that.

“Good players are always welcome to a club and everything he has done so far has been really good so I will be more than happy if he stays longer.”

While Tamas looks ahead to the rest of the season, Chile international Gonzalo Jara has been ruled out until the summer with a broken foot.

And Olsson says the utility man has the support of everyone at The Hawthorns as he targets a comeback in time for World Cup duty with his country.

“First of all you are disappointed for him but hopefully he will still be able to play in the World Cup,” said Olsson.

“We’re going to miss him, of course, because he is a versatile players who has shown he can play at right-back, left-back or in midfield and do a good job wherever the coach puts him.

“Of course we will miss him but where he has been playing recently, at right-back, we have a really good player in Gianni Zuiverloon who has come in and scored in recent games.

“In football you have injuries but you keep going and the players who come in are happy to get their chance.

“When you have a schedule like this, playing two games in a week, you will have injuries but you have to cope.

“We have done it so far and we have to keep doing it again and again.”