ADE Mafe is aiming to use the lessons learned during his time at Chelsea to turn Albion into a lean, mean footballing machine.

The 43-year-old took over from Dan Harris as head of sports science at The Hawthorns almost a fortnight ago as part of Roberto Di Matteo's new regime.

The former Olympic sprinter first broke into football when then-Chelsea boss Ruud Gullit asked him to join his coaching staff.

Mafe ended up spending ten years as a fitness coach at Stamford Bridge, where he also worked under Gianluca Vialli, Claudio Ranieri and most-notably Jose Mourinho.

"I use the various training techniques I have taken from Chelsea over ten years and my time working at MK Dons and Millwall," he said. 

"I'm taking all the bits and pieces from those experiences and adding that on to what's here already.

"That proved very successful at MK Dons last year.

"It was the first time we all worked together and we complemented each other really well.

"Eddie's work on the football side of things and my work on the conditioning side of things complement each other really well and that produces results on the football pitch.

"All of the managers I worked with at Chelsea made an impression - from Ruud Gullit at the beginning to Mr Mourinho at the end.

"Mourinho more than most, his training regime was completely different and his attitude towards training and fitness.

"His philosophy about football was not unique but it was different from everybody else.

"He had a big book that everyone got hold of, people read, took and developed as they saw fit.

"I think you will see the coaches who were at Chelsea when he was there have moved on and will prove to be successful - Brendan Rodgers, Steve Clarke, Eddie Newton."

Mafe, who was the youngest-ever Olympics 200m finalist, aged 18, at the 1984 Los Angeles games, believes the most important thing he hopes to bring to the Baggies is a winning mentality.

"I have the FA Fitness Award and the one thing I have over a lot of people is experience," he added.

"I had two Italian fitness coaches at Chelsea and one Portuguese.

"I've been witness to a team winning several trophies over the last six years and I know the techniques used and how they work.

"I hope applying them here will hopefully help bring success.

"You can have all the qualifications in the world but I think the experience is the most paramount thing.

"Applying that experience and the psychology of performance and trying to get the best out of the players you work with on the training field and on a matchday.

"It's about trying to get into their heads so they give you the maximum on a matchday.

"I have experience of seeing the preparation for an FA Cup Final or a Champions League game, also, in athletics, preparing for a World Championships in Tokyo.

"Being able to perform when required is experience that is invaluable.

"I hope to bring all my experience to all the people I work with."

Mafe has been impressed by what he has seen from the Albion players since their return to pre-season training and has paid tribute to the work of strength and conditioning coach Bill Styles for helping make it a smooth transition from the old regime.

"The players are in pretty good nick," he said.

"I have been very impressed with the work that we have been doing so far.

"The boys have responded really well as far as what I am bringing in and what the manager and Eddie are bringing in as far as the football is concerned.

"The attitude and application of all the players since we have been here has been fantastic.

"Luckily I have got Bill Styles here who worked with the previous fitness coach.

"He has been an invaluable help to allow me to move in and not disturb too much of what has been going on before, and not destroy all the good work that has been done by the previous fitness coach.

"I just want to add our slant to it and take the club in a different direction without destroying all the good stuff that was done before.

"There was stuff that you would say 'we don't need to do that anymore' but the majority of stuff will help us.

"Hopefully we will keep the best and build on that."

The Isleworth-born coach is now putting Di Matteo's men through their paces on Albion's mini-tour of Slovenia.

And he has urged Baggies fans not to read too much into pre-season results - insisting the build up to the Coca-Cola Championship opener against Newcastle on Saturday, August 8 (ko 5.30pm) is all about getting the players into peak physical condition.