Simon Cox would consider loan move

Albion striker Simon Cox has admitted he could be tempted by a loan move away from the Hawthorns.

But the Baggies forward, who struck a clinical winner last night in the Carling Cup against Manchester City, insisted he is happy to fight for his place if boss Roberto Di Matteo wants to keep him.

A host of Championship clubs are keeping tabs on the 23-year-old, who is on the fringes of Albion's Premier League squad.

However, Di Matteo is believed to be reluctant to loan Cox at present with Chris Wood having today joined Barnsley on loan.

Cox said: "I am very happy to stay and fight but, if opportunities don't come along, I am not one just to sit and be happy and pick up money.

"I want to make a name for myself, so if that means going out and playing regular first-team football in the Championship then that is something I would have to look at.

"But at this moment in time I am very happy to fight. Me and the manager haven't had a talk about me going and I stated from minute one this year that I was going to fight for a place.

"If someone does come in and shows genuine interest to take me on loan I would think about it, because opportunities are few and far between at the moment.

"But I am quite happy to work hard in training, do my stuff in games like last night and show what I can do.

"If I can get in the team that way then fine, but if I can't get into the team then a loan is something I might have to look at."

Cox struck the second-half winner as a much-changed Baggies side defeated a second-string City team to reach the last 16 of the Carling Cup.

And the £1.5million man believes a Baggies team that featured 10 changes from the weekend win over Birmingham made a statement.

He said: "We went out there with no fear and we had to prove ourselves, because the lads that were out there don't get many chances as they would like.

"Last night was a showcase for them to put their case forward to the manager.

"This is a time when we players who aren't playing regular first-team football have to stand up and be counted and show the manager that we are still here as well.

"I think there were 11 performances out there that gave given the manager and headache, maybe not for Saturday but for the up and coming games."