Soccer:Simon Cox has admitted he would love to remain at West Brom but is refusing to gamble on where his future may lie. The Republic of Ireland striker gave Roy Hodgson food for thought on Saturday by scoring a hat-trick to see Albion into the FA Cup fourth round thanks to a 4-2 win over Championship club Cardiff.

The goals came after he admitted last week he may have to consider leaving The Hawthorns to guarantee himself first-team football, having only played a bit-part role so far this season. Cox claims he has had a conversation with Hodgson on Friday in which he was guaranteed a run of games in the side.

"It all sounded positive," said Cox. "Let's hope what he says is right and I can stay in the team, but that comes from my performances, so hopefully I showed what I can do on Saturday and that has given him a headache.

"With the injuries we've got he said there could be a run of games for me at the moment, whether it be up top, on the left, the right or wherever. He said 'If you get the run of games, you've got to show what you can do'. That's all I've ever asked - to get three, four or five games on the bounce, not just go in for one and out for the next regardless of the result."

Cox's angst as to his future is understandable given he broke into the Ireland set-up last May and is now eager to secure a place in the squad for the Euro 2012 finals in June.

"This next six months is one of the biggest of my career so far," said Cox. "I said to the gaffer on Friday that if I am to guarantee my place on that plane I feel I have to be as fit and as sharp as possible, and in as good form as possible."

Cox, though, cannot rule out the prospect of moving on this month.

"Ideally, I'd love to be here," added Cox, who had previously only scored one goal this season before grabbing his trio against City. "If I am here by February 1st, I see myself being here at the end of the season, but it's not my choice, I don't know."