'ROKO'S' superb form in helping the Baggies reach the 2007 Championship play-off final was rewarded with a new two-year contract, plus a further year's option in the club's favour, in September 2007.

He took to Barclays Premier League life like a duck to water last term and started all-but four games of the Baggies' league programme.

The Slovenian ace notched four goals in total all season and his two top-flight strikes helped Albion earn four points in a 3-0 win over Middlesbrough and a 1-1 draw with Bolton.

He became Tony Mowbray's 'Mr Versatile' as he slotted into various positions across midfield, always performing to a high standard.

On the international front he was handed the honour of being named his country's captain.

Hiis start to the 2007/08 campaign was delayed by a freak eye injury suffered in pre-season training.

He made his long-awaited return to action as a sub in the Carling Cup win at Peterborough on August 28 and ultimately forged a magnificent partnership with skipper Jonathan Greening in the Baggies' midfield engine room for the rest of the title-winning campaign.

Koren rattled in ten goals to finish as Albion's fourth joint-top goalscorer with Zoltan Gera and made an impressive 42 starts and four substiitute appearances in all competitions.

The creative midfielder joined Albion on a Bosman in January 2007 from Norwegian outfit Lillestrom.

He made his Baggies debut as a sub in the club's 3-1 FA Cup third-round success against Leeds and took little time in proving his worth to his new employers with a string of silky displays across midfield, scoring his first goal for the club in the final league fixture against Barnsley.

During his last season in Norway, which ended in the final week of October 2006, Koren scored ten times in 26 starts for Lillestrom.

Koren, who spent the last of his three years in the Tippeliga playing under ex-Albion loan star Uwe Rosler, had previously netted on English soil in 2006.

He grabbed the opener in Lillestrom's Intertoto Cup draw against Newcastle at St James' Park in the July.

Koren, who started his career at Slovenian outfit CMC Publikum, had played 21 times for his country when he joined Albion, and had netted once, after stepping up from Under-21 level.

(UPDATED ON JUNE 25, 2009)