Hodgson performed a minor miracle in helping the Baggies to remain in the top flight for a second season on the trot via a haul of 20 points from his 12 games in charge.

Now Albion will be looking to secure a third successive campaign in the Premier League for the first time.

Hodgson said: "The group of players I inherited did a fantastic job for the club. They did a fantastic job for me.

"Our goal when I came here was to stay in the Premier League - by hook or by crook - and we achieved it with some aplomb.

"Like everyone else, I was under the impression the battle would go down to the wire, that we'd have been approaching the last three games worrying about whether we were going to stay up or not.

"To have actually gone into those three games knowing we were already safe exceeded my expectations.

"If I have raised the expectation levels by finishing 11th last season then I'm proud of the fact and satisfied I've done that.

"I don't think there is anything wrong in raising expectation levels and barriers."

Hodgson added: "There have been a lot of years where we have been that yo-yo team in between the Premier League and the Championship.

"We've been that yo-yo team, one year in, one year out of the Premier League.

"I think it is the right moment for the club to try and kick on a little bit.

"Whether we can be 11th again, I think that will be quite a tough ask.

"That would be a bold goal, but why not set bold goals?

"We did it last year despite flirting with relegation so, with any luck, that should be our goal, to get somewhere in the middle of the table."

Hodgson is aware of the need for the Baggies to improve defensively and is hoping Gareth McAuley will help in that department after his arrival from Ipswich on a free transfer.

He said: "Gareth is captain for Northern Ireland and I have had very good experiences of Northern Ireland players at Fulham in people like Chris Baird and Aaron Hughes and at Albion with Chris Brunt.

"There was no shortage of research and information about him, he is the profile of a centre-back we need at the club after losing Abdoulaye Meite."

Hodgson is looking forward to working with midfielder Graham Dorrans who missed the final third of last season with an ankle problem but who is expected to push for a first-team spot.

The Baggies chief said: "Graham missed a lot of football so he is champing at the bit to play.

"It was tough for him at the start of pre-season as he was coming back from playing no football for three or four months.

"His ankle is standing up extremely well. We've got to get him back to match fitness.

"But I would predict that by the start of the season he will be fit and one of the people I will be considering to play."