West Brom duo played for me at the Hawthorns - "supporters would be delighted" if they were appointed | OneFootball

West Brom are still on the hunt for Tony Mowbray's successor

Tony Pulis believes that West Bromwich Albion should appoint James Morrison and Chris Brunt as permanent bosses at The Hawthorns heading into next season.

The 2024/25 campaign was one which promised so much to begin with, but delivered nothing for the Baggies when it came to a promotion bid, as they ended a tumultuous campaign in ninth place, four points behind the top six.

Shilen Patel's first full season as Albion chairman also left the American with plenty of crucial and brutal decisions to make, as former boss Carlos Corberan departed for his hometown club, Valencia, on Christmas Eve, before eventually re-appointing Tony Mowbray for his second stint at The Hawthorns.

However, it wouldn't work this time around for the 61-year-old as he was dismissed on Easter Monday following a 3-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Derby County in B71, winning just five of his 17 matches in charge, before the aforementioned Morrison was appointed as interim boss alongside Brunt for the final two games of the season.

And with West Brom's managerial search now heading into the off-season, Pulis has urged the hierarchy to consider offering the job to those already involved within the inner-workings of the Black Country outfit, given the long-standing and well-documented affinities they have for the club.

Tony Pulis urges West Brom to make bold James Morrison, Chris Brunt call

Brunt took the reins as interim boss alongside Damia Abella and former Baggies goalkeeper, Boaz Myhill, over the festive period and returned six points from as many games before the first game of Mowbray's second spell against Middlesbrough on January 21st.

Morrison, meanwhile, was given the remit of seeing the season out, and he saw the West Midlands outfit take four points from two games against relegated outfits Cardiff City and Luton Town, with the 5-3 thriller against the Hatters consigning Matt Bloomfield's men to League One.

The duo played 762 games between them for Albion as two modern-day cult heroes in a largely successful era for the club, which Pulis was a part of between January 2015 and November 2017, and he has urged those in the boardroom to consider such factors in their final decision.

"Personally, I know James Morrison and Brunty (Chris Brunt) and Bo (Boaz Myhill) as well, three great lads who've been at that football club for a long time," he told OLBG.

"They know the ins and outs of the football club. They've worked with good people. They've had good managers they've worked with. They're sensible lads. Mo's (Morrison) has been with Scotland as well, so he's had the experience of working at an international level. I'd give it to the lads," Pulis added.

"I would seriously give it to the lads and let them have a go. They've got blue and white stripes through them. They are very, very committed to that football club. And I think it'd be good for the supporters.

"I think if it was announced almost immediately, I think a lot of supporters would be absolutely delighted if they do that," Pulis concluded.

West Brom supporters would get behind James Morrison, Chris Brunt if appointed

Although it is an extremely small sample size, both Morrison and Brunt performed relatively admirably during their short spells in the hotseat, and, as Pulis alluded to, would have the immediate backing of the Hawthorns faithful if appointed.

However, that isn't a guarantee by any stretch, with an abundance of names who provide a variety of experience or fresh, youthful ideas linked with the vacancy in this part of the West Midlands such as Tottenham Hotspur assistant manager, Ryan Mason.

It remains to be seen who Patel's next appointment will be. But, after Mowbray's second spell ended in disaster, a summer of change is in the air among the squad and in the dugout, and supporters feel that he must nail it to give Albion the best possible chance of ending their exile from the Premier League.