West Brom boss is backing Victor Anichebe

West Brom boss Alan Irvine today backed Victor Anichebe to play a big role in the Baggies' season but insisted he will not rush the striker back from injury.

Anichebe has been sidelined by a hernia problem that is the latest setback of an injury-blighted stint at the Hawthorns.

But Irvine is confident the Nigeria international, whom he coached as a youngster at Everton, will come back strongly.

Anichebe hopes to return to training next week ahead of the Hawthorns clash with Manchester United on October 20, having made just 14 starts since joining the Baggies from Everton a year ago for a fee that could rise to £6m.

Irvine said: "He is frustrated, and he's particularly frustrated because he'd got a good pre-season under his belt.

"He had started the season looking as if he was going to play a really big part.

"He and I have a relationship that goes back a number of years and we were really looking forward to working together again and, unfortunately, this has set him back again.

"I think he will come back from this. It's not a career-threatening injury. We've just got to make sure when he comes back he's back for real.

"We tried to bring him back last week and it's set him back again, so we have to make sure next time he's back he's OK.

"He had the operation to take some 'mesh' out and it's still just not quite right.

"He's maybe rushed it a little bit but we're hoping he'll be OK next week, hopefully at the start of it if we want him back for Monday."

Anichebe has suffered a series of injury problems at The Hawthorns, having had similar issues at Goodison Park, and Irvine sympathises with the 26-year-old.

Irvine added: "Unfortunately, when you have had one injury that keeps you out for a while, there is a fair chance you might pick up another one, either related or totally unrelated.

"You are coming back trying to train at the level everyone else is training at and you can do all your work with the physios.

"But you go from a controlled environment which is the physios' world, to an uncontrolled environment in a game or training."