Don Goodman shares West Brom regret as player exit imminent
Don Goodman has spoken out as West Brom continue the search for Tony Mowbray’s successor.
The Baggies finished a disappointing season on a high, with a 5-3 victory against Luton Town at The Hawthorns on Saturday (3 May).
Mowbray was sacked at the Albion after failing to earn a play-off spot in the Championship.
Now, with a new season on the horizon, West Brom need a new manager at the helm to help build a new squad ready to secure promotion to the Premier League over the next few seasons.
However, as well as Mowbray, one player won’t be part of that rebuild.
John Swift ‘will regret’ his time at West Brom
Midfielder Swift is set to leave the Baggies once his contract expires this summer after not starting as many games in the Championship this season as he would have liked.
Sky Sports pundit Goodman, speaking to Football League World, discussed Swift’s departure this summer.
He said, “He is such a talented player, Swift, a player that I really admire.
“I do not think West Bromwich Albion fans have seen the best of him over his time there.”
Swift has started less than half of West Brom’s league games this season and has remained on the bench for many of their other fixtures.
Goodman added, “I think, although he is a talented player, and he is 29 years old, he will still have a little bit of regret that he was not able to show his true potential and find that consistency we know he is capable of.”
Swift has struggled in the Championship this season
While Swift has had a couple of standout seasons for West Brom, reaching double figures in goal contributions in two consecutive campaigns, he has been unable to replicate similar form as of late.
| Season | Appearances | Minutes | Goals | Assists |
| 2022/23 | 45 | 3.216′ | 6 | 9 |
| 2023/24 | 37 | 1.862′ | 9 | 1 |
| 2024/25 | 36 | 1.741′ | 3 | 1 |
Unfortunately, he will be leaving the Baggies without helping them in their promotion aspirations.
But now that the 2024/25 campaign is over, the fight for next season’s promotion is already growing and appointing a new manager is fundamental.
West Brom have surveyed a few options so far, with QPR boss Marti Cifuentes poised to take over, but that option has since expired.
Ryan Mason, current coach at Tottenham, has emerged as the leading contender, with Ange Postecoglou’s future uncertain.
However, time is running out, and with an important summer ahead and promotion in their sights, West Brom cannot afford to waste any more time over this appointment.