West Brom manager hunt: Championship outfit hand Patel ‘gift’
West Brom’s hunt for a new manager continues after the West Midlands club sacked Tony Mowbray in April.
Now that the Championship season is over, the Baggies’ only priority is hiring a new head coach.
The 2024/25 campaign was considered a failure as the West Midlands side failed to get into the playoffs, which resulted in Tony Mowbray being sacked.
Ryan Mason is the current frontrunner for the West Brom job. However, the Baggies may have to wait until after Tottenham’s Europa League campaign to talk to the former England international.
However, a better candidate may have just become available for West Brom after Watford’s shock sacking of Tom Cleverley.
West Brom must consider Cleverley for managerial position
Watford’s sacking of Cleverley has no doubt added complications for West Brom.
There are now four Championship sides currently searching for a manager, with many looking at the same targets.
However, Watford’s sacking of Cleverley could become West Brom’s blessing as the former Manchester United midfielder would be the perfect fit at The Hawthorns.
The 35-year-old was widely regarded to have overperformed at Vicarage Road this season, with many tipping the Hornets to go down.
Yet, Cleverley had Watford in the race for the playoffs for the majority of the campaign before a dip in form left them in 14th place.
| Tom Cleverley’s record at Watford | |
| Games managed | 59 |
| Wins | 20 |
| Draws | 14 |
| Losses | 25 |
| Win percentage | 33.90 per cent |
However, his work remains extremely impressive, and he is seen as a highly promising young coach.
Compared to West Brom’s current candidates, Cleverley is far more ideal. The 35-year-old is more experienced than Mason and has more potential than Marti Cifuentes.
West Brom need a new manager as soon as possible
While many will argue that this process should not be rushed, the Baggies do not have time to be waiting around.
The upcoming season could be one of the last opportunities West Brom has of achieving promotion as the gap between the Premier League and the Championship gets wider.
Therefore, the incoming manager needs as long as possible to assess the squad and prepare for the new campaign.
Hopefully, an appointment can be made by the end of the month, or the Baggies could be in trouble.