Ireland international Simon Cox fired West Brom into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a hat-trick against Cardiff this afternoon.
Cox headed his first home from eight yards after a cross from Baggies captain Nicky Shorey. He doubled his tally in the 61st minute with a scorcher from 25 yards that gave Heaton no chance as it crossed the line after rattling off his post, and he sealed his hat-trick with an easy tap in from an Odemwingie pass.
The Irish striker has recently hinted that he may have to move on during the January transfer window after finding first-team football hard to come by this season.
Cox is very aware that he needs to playing every week if he's to secure a squad spot in Giovanni Trapattoni's European finals squad, and with just two Premier League starts this season he feels a move away from the the Hawthorns may be his best chance of guaranteeing a trip to Poland in June.
Speaking after the game Baggies boss Roy Hodgson said :
"That's a positive for Simon who has taken his chance when it has come along.
"I thought he did very well at Tottenham the other night as well, so with his three goals and his performance today, it's a clear positive for us and for him.
"The way he played today, he clearly showed he deserves a place in the team, and we'll be thinking very seriously about that.
"Simon's a good trainer, good finisher. In the finishing practices he is always right up there, so he has to be pleased with his day's work.
"I'm pleased for him, pleased he's shown he is a Premier League quality player and that he has taken his chance after being given it with great aplomb.
"On both occasions he has been amongst our best players."
Simon Cox will start in attack alongside Kevin Doyle for Ireland in tomorrow's vital Euro 2012 qualifier with Armenia in the Aviva Stadium. It was widely expected that in-form West Brom striker Shane Long would partner doyle, in the event of Robbie Keane failing his fitness battle.
Stephen Kelly comes in for the suspended Stephen Ward.
Richard Dunne returns from his ban to the Irish central defence with Darren O'Dea dropping out.
Ireland team to play Armenia:
Shay Given, Stephen Kelly, Sean St Ledger, Richard Dunne, John O'Shea, Aidan McGeady, Keith Andrews, Glenn Whelan, Damien Duff, Kevin Doyle, Simon Cox.
West Bromwich manager Roy Hodgson believes club record signing Shane Long will prove to be the Barclays Premier League’s bargain buy of the season.
The Ireland international met up in Dublin with his Ireland team-mates yesterday ahead of this week’s crucial Euro 2012 qualifiers against Andorra and Armenia, 24 hours after scoring his third goal since his £5million summer move from Reading.
It was Long's first since opening the season with goals against Manchester United and Chelsea, and a welcome boost ahead of a critical week for his country in which he will be under additional pressure to score the goals which could take Ireland to the finals in Ukraine and Poland
Hodgson was delighted with the Tipperary born players' overall contribution and was keen to remind supporters that the 23-year-old has been signed as a player for the future, who just happens to have been thrust into the top flight, and international football, ahead of the normal schedule.
Hodgson said: 'I don't think we paid a lot for potential. The figures quoted are wrong, I am not saying how much it was but I have seen the quotes. He might be the bargain of the year as it turns out.
'He came from Ireland where he was playing hurling, then at 17 he went straight into Reading and became a star player within two or three years.
He got into the Irish national team and then into the Premier League, so it is a meteoric rise and we are talking about a young lad of 23/24 who started very late and is still to some extent learning the game.
'I am not at all surprised it has taken time for him to settle, in fact it has taken less time than I thought with what the Premier League is.
'He had a flying start with a goal against Manchester United and today his all-round play was very good, his target play was good and he was a threat in front and behind defender, rarely gave the ball away and of course his work rate is outstanding.
Hodgson consulted Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni as part of the long process of adding Long to his squad.
He saw off interest from Premier League rivals Newcastle and Stoke, and the lure of better wages, plus the prospect of top flight football after a promotion season in the Championship with West Ham or Leicester.
The experienced Hodgson also promoted the cause of West Brom striker Simon Cox before his successful summer call-up.
Cox has only started two games for his club, both in the Carling Cup, and did score against Bournemouth. He has just two substitute appearances to his name.
Hodgson revealed the fourth striker in Trapattoni’s squad, who is keeping out Newcastle’s in-form Leon Best, came close to a third at the Stadium of Light.
He said: 'I have a relationship with Giovanni and where he was exceptionally good was in transfer deadline week.
'It took a long while to get the Long transfer through and he had actually joined up with the Ireland squad but Giovanni was very good and let him spend the day with us and complete his medical.
'It suits Ireland to have him playing in the Premier League and with Doyle, Long and Keane and Cox as well. They look strong.
'Simon was in good form and was unlucky not to get on today and under normal circumstances I would have put him on with Peter not at his best but I didn't want to destroy Peter and was hoping he would produce a bit of magic late in the game. But I was wrong on that one.'
