Roy Hodgson wants Albion to kick on

Albion got to work in America today with boss Roy Hodgson warning the club not to waste last season's Premier League survival.

As the Baggies continued their hunt for more new faces, the Hawthorns head coach warned they cannot afford to return to the Championship and insisted they must still shake off their 'yo-yo' reputation.

Hodgson, who led the club to an 11th-place finish last season after arriving at the Hawthorns in February, believes it's the right time for the club to kick on.

He said: "I think it is the right moment for the club to try to kick on a little bit. There have been a lot of years where we have been that yo-yo team.

"It's going to be harder for teams in future to be yo-yo sides, because I think it is going to be very difficult to get out of the Championship once you fall into it.

"It is very important on the back of a good end to the season that we make the necessary additions and the quality of signings we need to make certain we can have another solid season.

"Whether we can be 11th, I don't know. That would be a bold goal, but why not set bold goals?

"We did it last year despite flirting with relegation so, with any luck, that should be our goal, to get somewhere in the middle of the table. But to do so I do believe we have to make some further good signings.

"Having survived last year we go into this season and, if a further survival could be achieved we would be looking at a third season, and suddenly looking at West Bromwich as an established Premier League club, rather than one that has the yo-yo, boing boing reputation of being sometimes up but sometimes down."

Hodgson and his players were today setting into their American training camp near Santa Barbara, California, as they embark on a 12-day stay Stateside.

They will fly north tomorrow for their opening pre-season friendly against Major League Soccer side San Jose Earthquakes tomorrow evening at Buck Shaw Stadium.

The trip also includes matches against Ventura County Fusion at Oxnard College Stadium on Sunday and Portland Timbers on July 20.