West Bromwich Albion's new boss Roberto Di Matteo is aiming to take the relegated Baggies back to the Premiership at the first attempt - but the former Lazio, Chelsea and Italy midfielder will be taking a pragmatic rather than the pure footballing approach for which the club was known under previous manager Tony Mowbray.

"I don't want to win the beauty prize," said Di Matteo, "I want to win the Championship. We will try to play football as much as possible, but it won't always be possible because the Championship is a very tough league. So we will try to mix it up, and the most important thing will be to win as many game as possible."

Di Matteo, who has arrived at the Hawthorns in the wake of Mowbray's departure to Celtic, was a flair player himself but showed at Milton Keynes Dons last season - his first in management - that he was as focused on good defending as he was on attractive and potent attacking.

As well as being the second highest scorers in all four English divisions the Dons had the second best defensive record in Coca-Cola League 1, finishing third in the table but then agonisingly losing to Scunthorpe United on penalties at the end of their two-leg Play-Off semi-final.

Meanwhile Albion were finishing bottom of the Premiership to continue a yo-yo existence that has seen them promoted to the top flight three times in the last eight seasons, only to drop back to Championship level on each occasion. Now Di Matteo, despite his lack of managerial experience, is expected to get them straight back again.

It's a big ask for the 39-year old boss, but he is confident of defying the doubters. "I know there are people who will have concerns about my lack of experience," he said, "but we will see by the end of the season. The aim is to get back to the Premiership, and with the quality we have in the team I believe it's an achievable target."

Di Matteo, who has taken his MK Dons assistant Eddie Newton and fitness coach Ade Mafe to the Hawthorns, will be titled Head Coach rather than manager as West Brom switch their management structure towards the continental style with Sporting & Technical Director Dan Ashworth set to work alongside the new boss.

It's a situation that Di Matteo is comfortable with. "It's nothing new to me," he said. "I don't really care, I just want to win games whether I'm called Head Coach or manager." And although Ashworth will be in charge of the club's extensive scouting network, Di Matteo insists, "I will have the final decision on players."

One player already on his way to the Baggies is striker Simon Cox, whose move from Swindon Town was set in motion before Di Matteo's arrival at the Hawthorns. The new Head Coach was given the opportunity to veto the reportedly £2.5million deal but was happy to see the move completed.

Cox, 22, was League 1's joint top scorer last season with 29 goals and and Di Matteo said: "The player will be coming in next week for a medical and he's a very good player. I know him quite well, he's got a very good scoring record and he will be a good addition to the squad."

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