Darren Carter has backed West Bromwich to succeed under Valerien Ismael, saying that early signs are that the club are 'moving in the right direction'.

The Baggies are gearing up for a long, hard season in the Championship after suffering relegation from the Premier League next term.

It's been all change at the Hawthorns this summer with Ismael taking the hotseat after a successful campaign with Barnsley last season in which he led them to a surprise play-off spot.

A large part of his success with the Tykes was his supremely physical style of play which consisted of a direct approach to the game combined with an aggressive high-press to put the opposition under pressure.

While his time with West Brom has been limited, Carter was in attendances at West Brom's recent friendly and gave a glowing verdict on Ismael's progress in terms of getting his new players up to speed with his fresh tactical approach.

Taking to Twitter, Carter said: "Ismael has his players in tune to his style and they are executing very well. Need to continue that into next Friday.

“This can serve as a reminder to Blues that this is what high-end Championship opposition looks like and the levels that are required to compete. “That said, pre-season has been full of positivity and optimism. This club is moving in the right direction and you can feel the togetherness from team to fans.” The verdict It's going to be very interesting to watch West Bromwich Albion this season. Valerien Ismael was arguably the best manager in the Championship last term and he deserves the chance to lead a club who will be battling for automatic promotion. It may take a little bit of time for Ismael to make his mark on the existing players at the Hawthorns but based on Carter's verdict, it might not be such a rocky transition after all. Supporters will be wanting the club to hit the ground running when the season kicks off this weekend and many will be looking forward to seeing Ismael's approach in action.