Happier Jay Rodriguez is 'different bloke' since joining West Brom, says dad Kiko

Proud father Kiko Rodriguez has promised Baggies fans his son will give the team 100 per cent this season because he wants to repay Tony Pulis for putting so much faith in him.

He has told supporters his son will add to to tally of goals from up front, and he’s reassured them there is no need to worry about his injury record.

Pulis chased Rodriguez for a year before buying him earlier this summer in a £12million deal rising to a potential £15m.

The former Southampton man has got off to a flying start in blue and white, scoring two goals in pre-season so far.

And his Burnley-based father, who met up with his son at the weekend to celebrate the forward's 28th birthday, says Jay already looks far happier off the pitch.

“He just seems like a different bloke now,” Kiko told the Express & Star. “The lads and staff have made him really welcome. And he’s jumped up another gear.

“What’s proven is that Tony Pulis believes in him. He’s not going to pay that money for the sake of it.

“So he wants to reward West Brom because of how much faith they’ve shown in him.

“Jay told us about pre-season, he said it was really hard, but he was smiling about it, he loves working hard. He’s always saying ‘I still need to improve’.”

Rodriguez rose through the ranks of home-town club Burnley before breaking into the England team when he scored 17 goals for Southampton in the 2013/14 season.

A serious knee injury stopped him going to the World Cup that summer, but his dad says his reputation for being injury-prone is unfair.

“His injury record is false really,” said Kiko. “For the last 12 months he’s been injury free, but unfortunately the (Southampton) manager (Claude Puel) didn’t fancy him. But when he did come on, he played well."

Rodriguez scored six goals in 13 Premier League starts last season and Kiko thinks he will bolster Albion's options up top.

“Of course he can be that man to score the goals," he said. "But more importantly, the one thing that Jay will give you, is 100 per cent.

“He’ll defend when he needs to and if he can hit the back of the net he will do. He loves scoring but he’s a team player."

Pulis bought Rodriguez because of his versatility in the final third, and the Baggies boss has already tried him in several different positions in pre-season.

He may be asked to chop and change positions throughout the season, but according to his father, it is something he is used to.

“The thing about Jay,” said Kiko. “He can play on both flanks, he can play up front, he can play in behind the front two.

“Even when he was 10 or 11 they put him up front and off the wing. Going back to Owen Coyle at Burnley, he put him out wide.

“That’s where he made his name at Burnley, when Ross Wallace got injured, he came on the left hand side and he never lost his position after that.

“He does like attacking, but he’s prepared to work hard in defence too.”