West Brom have appointed former Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson as their new head coach.
The 63-year-old, who parted company with the Reds in January after only six months in charge, succeeds Roberto di Matteo at the Hawthorns.
Di Matteo was relieved of his duties and placed on gardening leave following Saturday's 3-0 loss at Manchester City.
Caretaker head coach Michael Appleton will remain in temporary charge for the visit of West Ham on Saturday.
"The club are now channelling all of their efforts into supporting Appleton, his assistants Keith Downing and Dean Kiely and the players as they prepare for tomorrow's vital game," said a statement.
Hodgson will attend the match on a watching brief before meeting the West Brom hierarchy to discuss his plans and facing the media next week.
The former Inter Milan, Blackburn and Switzerland boss has signed a contract until June 2012 and takes over a Baggies side who have lost 13 of their last 18 matches in all competitions.
He was voted manager of the year by the League Managers' Association after guiding Fulham to the 2010 Europa League final and succeeded Rafael Benitez at Liverpool that summer.
But the Englishman was dismissed on 8 January having won just seven of 20 Premier League games, with Reds legend Kenny Dalglish immediately installed as interim boss.
Hodgson admits he never intended to return to management so quickly after being sacked by Liverpool last month.
But he says he was so impressed with the West Brom "project" he decided to accept the offer.
"It was not my intention to return to Barclays Premier League football this quickly," said Hodgson.
"But I was so impressed by the way the chairman [Jeremy Peace] and the sporting and technical director [Dan Ashworth] sold the project to me that I was very happy to accept the offer.
"I am delighted that a club of West Bromwich Albion's stature has given me the opportunity to help them in their quest to retain their Premier League status and to build for the future."
Peace insisted Hodgson was always Albion's first choice.
"At such a vital stage of the season, we felt it was important we identified and appointed the right man as quickly as possible," he said.
"Roy emerged as the outstanding and unanimous choice of the football club board and we are delighted to have appointed our number-one target.
The 63-year-old, who parted company with the Reds in January after only six months in charge, succeeds Roberto di Matteo at the Hawthorns.
Di Matteo was relieved of his duties and placed on gardening leave following Saturday's 3-0 loss at Manchester City.
Caretaker head coach Michael Appleton will remain in temporary charge for the visit of West Ham on Saturday.
"The club are now channelling all of their efforts into supporting Appleton, his assistants Keith Downing and Dean Kiely and the players as they prepare for tomorrow's vital game," said a statement.
Hodgson will attend the match on a watching brief before meeting the West Brom hierarchy to discuss his plans and facing the media next week.
The former Inter Milan, Blackburn and Switzerland boss has signed a contract until June 2012 and takes over a Baggies side who have lost 13 of their last 18 matches in all competitions.
He was voted manager of the year by the League Managers' Association after guiding Fulham to the 2010 Europa League final and succeeded Rafael Benitez at Liverpool that summer.
But the Englishman was dismissed on 8 January having won just seven of 20 Premier League games, with Reds legend Kenny Dalglish immediately installed as interim boss.
Hodgson admits he never intended to return to management so quickly after being sacked by Liverpool last month.
But he says he was so impressed with the West Brom "project" he decided to accept the offer.
"It was not my intention to return to Barclays Premier League football this quickly," said Hodgson.
"But I was so impressed by the way the chairman [Jeremy Peace] and the sporting and technical director [Dan Ashworth] sold the project to me that I was very happy to accept the offer.
"I am delighted that a club of West Bromwich Albion's stature has given me the opportunity to help them in their quest to retain their Premier League status and to build for the future."
Peace insisted Hodgson was always Albion's first choice.
"At such a vital stage of the season, we felt it was important we identified and appointed the right man as quickly as possible," he said.
"Roy emerged as the outstanding and unanimous choice of the football club board and we are delighted to have appointed our number-one target.
aye can see an easy victory there, still you never know, old hodger mite jus do the bizz 
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