Why West Brom have appointed Ryan Mason - Shilen Patel has confirmed the reason | OneFootball

Shilen Patel has confirmed why West Brom have opted to appoint Ryan Mason as manager

Ryan Mason has officially been appointed as the next West Brom manager after a lengthy search process.

Tony Mowbray was relieved of his duties by the club in April, and the Baggies have spent the last month thoroughly searching for his successor.

This has led to the appointment of the 33-year-old, who has made the switch from Tottenham Hotspur.

Mason was part of Ange Postecoglou’s coaching staff at Spurs, but will now embark on a managerial career of his own, taking on his first role in the position since retiring from football.

Owner Shilen Patel has outlined why the decision has been made to appoint the former midfielder ahead of the new season.

Shilen Patel’s reason for hiring Ryan Mason

Patel has welcomed Mason to the club, along with coaches Nigel Gibbs and Pooley, who will both form part of his backroom staff, claiming that the 33-year-old was a standout candidate among their search for Mowbray’s successor.

The West Brom chairman believes that Mason has the required talent and quality to lead the next phase of the club forward, as they look to identify a philosophy that can underpin their progress, as they eye promotion to the Premier League.

“We are delighted to welcome Ryan to The Hawthorns as our new Head Coach, along with Nigel and Sam,” said Patel, via the club’s official website.

“We have undertaken a thoughtful and expansive search and Ryan always stood out to us among an incredibly strong group of candidates.

“We are excited to have someone whose skillset means he has the aptitude to help us further establish elite standards in both preparation and player development for the first team and across all our team programmes.

“His experiences as both a first team player and coach under some of the game’s most respected minds, along with his time leading academy sides, will be instrumental as we shape a clear philosophy and unified identity at all levels at the Albion.”

Mason earned plaudits for his work under Postecoglou, with the team winning the Europa League this season, their first trophy in 17 years.

West Brom’s promotion disappointment

West Brom were in the mix for a play-off place throughout the campaign, particularly under Carlos Corberan.

However, the Spaniard’s departure in December led to a dip in form under Mowbray that ultimately saw them miss out on a play-off place.

Corberan had guided the Baggies to fifth in the Championship in 2024, but was poached by La Liga giants Valencia midway through the term.

Albion ended up finishing ninth in the table, earning 64 points from 46 games, four behind sixth place Bristol City.

Mason will now be tasked with improving the side and bridging that gap to the top six over the next 12 months.

West Brom have been outside the Premier League since suffering relegation in 2021, so will be seeking a return in 2026.