Declan Carr

Tue 27 May 2025 18:44, UK

West Brom’s search for a new manager may be close to a conclusion.

Shilen Patel and sporting director Andrew Nestor are taking a nuanced approach to appointing a replacement for Tony Mowbray after they rushed to hire the ex-Birmingham City man.

The 61-year-old was sacked on 21 April after a run of just five wins in 17 matches left the Baggies outside the playoff places after they had been in them for the majority of the season.

West Brom identify Mason as number one target

Tottenham coach Ryan Mason has been heavily touted as a replacement for Mowbray since he was dismissed from the role.

Baggies insider DOOD had claimed that a decision was set to be made in the coming days after talks were held with Mason and Eric Ramsay.

Now, a report from Express and Star (27 May) claims that the 33-year-old is Albion’s top target for the vacancy.

It also states that his contract with the Premier League outfit is set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

Mason would be an exciting appointment for West Brom

It is a huge gamble for The Hawthorns club to appoint Mason, as he does not have any experience of management, apart from two interim spells in charge of Tottenham.

Perhaps more importantly, he has no experience in the Championship, which is one of the hardest leagues in the world, especially in terms of winning promotion to the top-flight.

The Albion hierarchy and supporters are desperate to return to the elite level of English football, for the first time since the 2020/21 season and it remains to be seen whether he is the man to achieve it.

If he fails and is sacked halfway through the campaign, it will be an embarrassing affair and back to the drawing board for Shilen Patel and Co.

A more experienced man may have been a safer bet as Mason is an unknown quantity but that can also work, his fresh tactical blueprint and his connections to the North London club could come in handy for the West Midlands outfit in the new few months.