TRIPS to the Black Country Living Museum and the Safari Park were the unlikely ports of call for Dan Ashworth.

All those agents he dealt with during the summer and I bet he still found time to visit the reptile house during his day-out in Bewdley.

And who can blame him?

The Baggies sporting and technical director has spent the last few months travelling around the continent and UK checking out players, chasing up deals and generally living in hotels.

I would like to think his nickname is 'Suitcase'.

Two days off were spent with his family down the local tourist attractions, yet the summer was one long saga of deals, no deals and stalemate.

Ashworth appreciates impatience but adopts the opposite. Supporters emailing, Twittering and panicking about where that next signing is coming from.

'Where's the striker?'

'Why don't we go for so and so?'

He's heard it before but, luckily, Ashworth shrugs it off. He knows the business inside out. And he's making a name for himself as, not only a coach and guardian of Albion's youth system, but also as an administrator.

He made it clear today that had Albion rushed into signings then Paul Scharner, for one, wouldn't have come in. He was the outstanding choice for that defensive midfield role which we all know Roberto Di Matteo wanted filling. Not Marc Wilson, not Djemba-Djemba. Albion were given the impression that Scharner was out of range.

Luckily other deals didn't work out. And, fortuitously, Albion were kept in the loop over Scharner's movements.

A few weeks later and things fall into place.

And, luckily for Albion, they have a manager who speaks fluent German and was able to convince the Austrian to move to The Hawthorns.

Head coach Roberto Di Matteo, like all 'managers', wants players in yesterday. Like all managers he appreciates these deals can take time.

Even Manchester City had to wait for James Milner.

These are the small quirks the fans and media don't see and don't always appreciate.

Ashworth called it the 'Championship Manager' syndrome, where a player can be signed by the click of a button.

Real life just isn't like that.

And then there's the fact that Albion are, let's face it, less attractive than most other Premier League clubs, certainly financially, if not for footballing reasons.

Again, this is where Ashworth's patience falls into play.

As for the playing squad, look where Albion are as a club. Two years ago they were welcoming Ryan Donk, Borja Valero, Kim and Gianni Zuiverloon into the club.

This year they have brought in experienced players, suited for both the aesthetic and physical aspects of football. Where once they signed svelte, technical Eastern European midfielders, the shift is now towards giant, powerful generals. It's almost inconceivable that Albion would take on a strong Newcastle midfield with Kim and Borja marshalling the centre of the engine room as they did two seasons ago.

With that in mind, perhaps Albion should be applauded for some decent business this summer. Or, to be exact, Dan Ashworth should. Whether it's enough to keep Albion up we won't yet know.

But he's deserved his days off.

Naturally, Dan was at the training ground today - this time wearing his training kit, having just coached some youngsters.

That, as Roy Castle used to say, is dedication.

It's what you need.

*On another note, Albion fans deserve a special mention for their stand against racism following the vile banner at Lokomotiv Moscow. Let's hope this crusade gets the national media attention it deserves. Moscow's racist banner was virtually ignored - maybe only picked up because of the implications it might have for England's World Cup bid. Time to give it some proper publicity, and praise.