Megson's search for new faces

When you are manager of a club like West Bromwich Albion you have to use your initiative in the search for new players. Gary Megson has admitted he would like to bring in some new faces at the Hawthorns when the transfer window reopens in January and has been sending out e-mails to agents and clubs all around Europe to establish who might be available in the new year.

While transfer funds are limited for the Baggies manager, he believes such a modern-day approach has been "a worthwhile exercise", perhaps suggesting there are one or two surprise names now on his shopping list.

"There have been agents who have written back and told us a few things and who have been informed by clubs there will be players available," said Megson.

Megson, who has taken a look at the Poland international Pawel Kaczorowski, Macedonia's Artim Sakiri and the Frenchman Bernard Lambourde this week, takes his side to face Spurs at White Hart Lane today with his squad buoyant following last week's win over Middlesbrough.

The 1-0 victory at the Hawthorns, ending a nine-match winless run, lifted Albion out of the bottom three, with Megson understandably hoping it is a platform his players can build on. "Whatever level you are at, when you are winning games it's always a better week in between matches, but that seems more pronounced in the Premiership because it is a lot harder to win," he added.

That will certainly be the case against a Tottenham team who have taken 16 points out of a possible 21 at White Hart Lane, while Albion have managed just four from 24 on the road.

"They have a terrific home record and have international household names throughout the team, so we know it's going to be hard for us," stated Megson.

"Everybody focuses on Teddy Sheringham because he has not just been a good player for this season, but a good player for season upon season. There aren't many of his type in England, but they also have Gus Poyet, Jamie Redknapp, Simon Davies. They have a lot of very good players in a strong squad."

One player who has recently returned to that Spurs squad is defender Ledley King. The 21-year-old appeared to have the world at his feet at the start of this year, with Sven Goran Eriksson looking him over for the World Cup, before a nagging Achilles injury curtailed his season in April and was followed quickly by a hip problem.

Since returning in the 3-0 defeat by Arsenal last month, he has begun to rediscover the form that earned him his first England cap last season in a friendly against Italy. "I've had a rough few months, but it's great to be back," said King. "It was very disappointing the way last season ended. I had gone through the season injury free and when you have a good run like that you start to think you are never going to get injured again.

"When I watched the World Cup on TV I thought it would have been lovely to have been part of that. But I'm still young and hopefully I'll have other chances. I just want to stay fit now for Tottenham and hopefully impress people."