Dream 24 hours for Jonas

JONAS Olsson admits Albion’s 3-2 victory over QPR on Saturday was the perfect end to a dream 24 hours at The Hawthorns.

The 29-year-old defender skippered the Baggies to a fourth consecutive home Barclays Premier League win after signing a new four-year contract on Friday evening.

And the Sweden international, who has now linked up with his country for their World Cup qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Germany, hopes the club can continue to move forward after back-to-back mid-table finishes. 

“It's been a good 24 hours, busy, but we got the deal done and I managed to still focus on the game,” said Olsson.

“It was really important to start paying back straight away and our fourth consecutive win at home means it’s happy days.

“I see us as an established Premier League team and when you perform well, you raise your bar. The fans, players, and club raise the bar.

“Our squad is by far the best one we've had in my four years here at least.

"We finished tenth last year and you always want to push on too.

“You always want to perform better, and, I see that as a realistic target, but it is important not to look too far ahead, set targets along the way, first focusing on the 40-point mark.

“But if we don't perform as well as last year it will be under-achieving given the squad.

“Last season we were up there fighting for it.

"We didn't go all the way to the top seven, top eight last year, but if we keep performing like this, who knows where the season could take us.

The commanding centre-half revealed stability was at the forefront of his mind during contract negotiations – but insists he would not have committed his future until 2016 if he was not convinced the club was heading in the right direction. 

“You weigh up your options and think about your family," Olsson added.

“It's a big commitment - it's a big decision, a big commitment in your football career and your life.

"Once you have made a decision, it is off your chest.

“This is definitely my key contract and I'm very happy it is finalised.

“If it was just myself to think about then you are maybe more willing to take chances.

“But if I didn't see the club going in the right direction, I wouldn't have signed.

“The key factor is I really like it here, we are happy here as a family. We see our future here for the next four years.

“The financial reward is also a factor. Anyone who says otherwise is not talking the truth.

“I feel very much for the club, I love playing here, but you are abroad to make a good career, to play against the best players, to set you up for the future, because it is a short career. I can't deny that was a factor as well.

“I like England, the people here are nice, we've been here four years, we have a social life here and are really settled now.”