Nigeria Content Online

After
West Bromwich Albion’s new manager Roy Hodgson declared that he will
need at least five months to guarantee the Baggies’ continued stay in
the Premiership, the immediate task of keeping the team in the
Premiership now rests on the slim shoulders of Nigerian striker, Osaze
Odemwingie.

The Nigerian has so
far scored nine goals for his side in the league but more goals are
expected from the £1.5m man. Odemwingie picked up his second HomeServe
Player-of-the-Month award of the season and he said the new manager’s
experience in football matters will help West Brom escape an immediate
drop back to the Championship.

“This is the second award for me so I am very happy,” Odemwingie said.

“In your first
season in a new country and new club it normally takes a little bit of
time to adapt and feel at home when you play – but it’s happened very
quickly for me so I am very happy.”

The former
Locomotiv Moscow striker admitted to being a little bit tired in the
dramatic 3-3 home draw with fellow relegation-threatened side, West Ham
last Saturday. He had gone to represent Nigeria in a friendly match
against Sierra-Leone.

Though he admitted
that a change of manager was not easy, he insisted the target of
securing Barclays Premier League survival remains the same.

“I was sad because
it’s never good news when they change a coaching staff during the
season. Personally I never like those situations during the season when
there is a change of manager. It affects me a little bit and it was a
difficult week because everything was a little bit different. It wasn’t
that I didn’t like who was coming in next, it was just that that’s how
I feel. It’s not a happy time but life goes on in football and the club
continues to exist.”

Osaze also admitted
that he knew very little about the new manager. “I knew a little bit
from his work. I saw him as a coach of Liverpool and I knew he did very
well with Fulham.

“I didn’t know his
whole history but I have been told about the clubs he has coached and
the number of games he has – almost 900 – and all of those things say a
lot.

“I’m sure he knows the job and people obviously trust him if he’s got big jobs like he has and worked in the Premier League.”

Games between these two sides has been tight in recent years but
when West Brom face Wolves, who sit last on the table, today, goals
from Odemwingie and the three points will be all that is wanted to help
the Baggies’ bid to stay in the elite division.