Despite losing to Chelsea on Saturday afternoon West Bromwich Albion keeper Ben Foster still appeared very upbeat about both his side’s and his own performance. His spirits may been buoyed by the fact that West Brom are still in the battle for a Europa League berth next season, despite seeing Everton move a further three points clear in the race for 6^th place, but the likely hood is that Foster’s good mood stemmed from the knowledge that Roy Hodgson was in the crowd at Stamford Bridge and that the England manager was there, most likely, to watch his former goalkeeper who was on top form that afternoon.

“It was a busy game,” said the former Birmingham City player.

“You know when you come to Chelsea it’s going to be a busy game and you’ve got to be on top of your performances to get anything out of the game but I think Roy was in the stands as well so it was nice to be on form today”

An England call up is now a major possibility with Hodgson at the helm of the national side and Foster has put his name back in the hat for national team duty after family issues and the strict regime of Fabio Capello forced him to retire from international football in 2011.

My kids were born around that time so they were about 1 & 2 and it was really kind of hard for we to go away for a week or ten days at a time and not see my kids or family.

"At the time it [the England set up] was very very serious with Fabio Capello. We weren’t allowed to go out of the hotel and we weren’t allowed visitors and I just felt that a week of ten days away from the family at that age was too much of a big miss. I think the kids are so impressionable at that age and I’m quite a family orientated person anyway so it really did kind of hurt me to be away from them for that time."

The change from Fabio to Hodgson has been a major influence in Foster’s decision surrounding the national side, especially after the positivity the former West Brom manager has had on the squad, both in the media and in the locker room.

“Roy was definitely a big factor.

“Under Fabio it seemed to be a little bit too negative and the press really did stick it to the team but Roy has brought a lot more optimism and the lads seem really happy to be called up and be involved now.

“You saw so many people pull out of international duty when the previous managers were there, I don’t even know, at times there were 8 or 10 people pulling out of every trip but players really want to be there now and I’m one that wants to be there as well.”