Credit: Manh Tung - Breaking Media

James Barker

Wed 22 April 2026 7:00, UK

West Bromwich Albion need to offer James Morrison the permanent head coaching role ASAP, or another team soon will.

After a season that has no doubt aged many West Brom fans significantly, their place in the Championship for 2026-27 has been, provisionally, confirmed.

Indeed, the outcome of Albion’s PSR charge doesn’t allow their survival to be made official yet, but even if they were to be deducted up to six points, that would still have them two ahead of 22nd-placed Oxford as things stand.

Some were sceptical over whether appointing Morrison as interim head coach for the remainder of the season following Eric Ramsay’s sacking was the right move, as the 39-year-old has only ever been a caretaker manager before.

However, Shilen Patel’s faith in the Hawthorns hero has been well and truly repaid, as Morrison’s hiring has proven to be a masterstroke, and the catalyst for a previously unfathomable nine-game unbeaten run.

How West Brom have improved under James Morrison

West Brom have been urged to appoint Morrison permanently, and it’s absolutely no surprise why.

He’s put smiles back on the faces of many previously angry Albion supporters, has clearly struck a chord with the players, and knows the football club inside and out.

But in order to make all of that possible, Morrison has had to prove he wasn’t just a figure Albion chiefs could present to Baggies fans to try and get them back onside.

No, he’s had to show plenty of coaching ability in order to get hold of this group of players and get them playing winning football again, and boy has he done so.

Even during both the Ryan Mason and Ramsay tenures, having plenty of the ball was never the issue, but doing something with their possession was.

However, Morrison has solved that problem, with Albion now getting plenty of shots off in games and are moving the ball faster with more purpose.

It’s not just in the attacking phase where Morrison has majorly improved West Brom either, as the 3-0 win over Watford on Tuesday night now makes it a remarkable six clean sheets from their last seven league games.

They’ve played the likes of Millwall and Hull City in that time too, and he’s also now getting the best out of players that previously weren’t performing under Ramsay and/or Mason.

Isaac Price is a player reborn under Morrison, Daryl Dike is getting amongst the goals now, Danny Imray has improved massively over recent weeks, Max O’Leary the same etc etc.

If West Brom don’t act on Morrison, someone else will

With the season now on the verge of being wrapped up, and many teams now knowing their fates for 2026-27, where about to enter the phase of dug out changes.

Managers will lose jobs, boardrooms will want to go in a different direction with a fresh pair of eyes, and that means many prying eyes will be scouring the field for who could be their next head coach.

Morrison’s exploits at The Hawthorns will undoubtedly have attracted plenty of attention across footballing circles, and why wouldn’t that be the case?

He’s young, has a great character, is a natural leader given his days of wearing the captains armband as a player, and has shown he can step up into a role with huge pressure on his shoulders, and deliver instant results.

Now that Albion’s safety appears to be secured, they should move quickly to make him their new permanent head coach, or you can bet your bottom dollar another club soon will.