JOHN Carver sat down with WBA TV to talk all things football after joining the Baggies as First Team Coach last week.
Brought to The Hawthorns by Head Coach Alan Pardew, Carver opened up about his relationship with Sir Bobby Robson and his time in Toronto before saying just how excited he was to be reunited with "good friend" Pardew.
Indeed, the pair spent the best part of four seasons together at Newcastle United, earning the Magpies a Europa League berth after a fifth-placed Premier League finish in 2014. The 52-year-old says Pardew's decision to involve him in this latest venture shows how strong their working relationship is.
"When he left me to go to Crystal Palace it was a difficult time for me because I didn't only lose the manager but a good friend as well.
"I was so pleased when he came asking me to come back and work with him. It tells you a little bit about him and about me. We have a really good working relationship and I have so much respect for him.
"I've worked with some top, top managers and coaches over the years and I have to put Alan up there as one of the top."
And the former Newcastle boss has already acknowledged he is inherting a quality crop of players at the Baggies; one that is capable of climbing up the Premier League table.
"I have to say, they seem to be a very honest, hard-working group of people who have a thirst for wanting to get better which is what I like," John continued.
"They're only going to get better. We're all going to get better on the training ground. The more time we spend with them I think you'll see the group - not just the players, but the staff as well - develop.
"We've got a good group but we need the three or four guys who are injured at the moment. It'll be nice to get them back just before Christmas."