MARTIN JOL has admitted he is already considering Pavel Pogrebynak a successful signing, after the Russian netted a hat-trick in Sunday's 5-0 demolition of Wolves at Craven Cottage.

The Fulham boss was understandably guarded in his initial assessment of the impact the former Zenit and Stuttgart striker would make, even after he netted on his debut and scored the winner against QPR.

But the way he tormented Wolves has persuaded the Dutchman to make a bolder judgement about his new star.

“After the first game, I said one swallow doesn't make a summer and it was the same after the second game,” Jol said.

“But after five goals, you have to say that he's a pretty good signing.

“We got him when he was not at his peak, but now he is and I'm happy with it.

“You can't say he had the best of times at Stuttgart, but there were four or five strikers there and if you score, it's fine, but if you don't, you're out in the next game.

“That is probably a different feeling for him now. He knows that he will play for us. I promised him that he will get his games and he's a very good lad.

“From the first day, he gave us a feeling that he wanted to be here and to prove a point and that is always good.”

Pogrebnyak speaks German, but little English, yet Jol says it hardly matters, because he has intuitively linked up well with his fellow strikers.

“I don't think he needs a lot of [verbal] understanding with the other players. You see him combine with Andy Johnson and it's almost an automatic thing.”

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