3 Ryan Mason replacements West Brom must consider as Shilen Patel urged to make sack decision | OneFootball

FLW lists the candidates West Brom should target if they decide to sack Ryan Mason.

Current West Brom boss Ryan Mason is under strenuous pressure to save his job at The Hawthorns.

Mason’s start to life in full-time management has been difficult, with his Albion side showing inconsistencies in both results and performances.

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur coach is proving to be an unpopular figure among the West Brom faithful himself, with supporters often left scratching their heads at the playing style, tactics and in-game management.

It was brought to roost last weekend at Queens Park Rangers when Mason elected to drop usual number one Josh Griffiths for Joe Wildsmith, with the latter having a previous track record of making costly errors in the Albion goal.

And the ex-Derby County shot-stopper didn’t justify the change as Albion conceded three times, with Wildsmith looking nervy throughout the 90 minutes in West London.

Meanwhile, fans are also left bewildered by the lack of gametime for the likes of Daryl Dike and Tammer Bany, as the former was yet again an unused substitute, while the latter was brought on in injury time when the team had fallen two goals behind.

The general criticism has been justified too, with Mason’s men collecting just four wins in their last 15 league games, and it could get worse as the Black Country outfit prepare to take on two of the Championship’s most inform teams in Southampton and Sheffield United.

Heavy defeats in those matches could spell in the end for Mason, with controlling shareholder Shilen Patel potentially on the lookout for a fourth permanent boss since taking over the club in February 2024.

With this in mind, our West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess has urged Shilen Patel to 'bite the bullet' and relieve Mason of his duties at the Hawthorns.

With the pressure ramping up on the Baggies boss, FLW lists three candidates the West Brom hierarchy should be considering if they decide to part ways with Mason.

Alex Neil

This would be a very odd switch to make right now given Millwall’s current league position, but Alex Neil is a figure who has been linked with West Brom vacancies on many an occasion.

If Albion are to get themselves out of the mess they’re in, then recruiting someone of Neil’s ilk must be at the top of their wishlist heading into the Christmas period.

The Scotsman has been a fabulous asset at the Den for Millwall since stepping into the role in December 2024, transforming the club's fortunes and helping the team come very close to squeaking into the play-offs after winning five of their final seven league games last season.

On an upwards trajectory, Millwall have carried it through to this term too, winning 10 out of their opening 19 league matches to sit third in the table.

The question is whether Neil would want to swap being in contention for promotion to the Premier League for a struggling mid-table side, but it’s whether the Albion board can convince him enough to join their project.

Journalist Alan Nixon reported that Albion were considering Neil back in November given the continued pressure on Mason, and the Baggies would really benefit from the 44-year-old’s extensive experience of managing in the Championship if they are to rise up the table.

Michael Carrick

Another manager West Brom may consider is former Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick, who has youth on his side, but the experience of managing in the second-tier to back it up.

During his time at the Riverside Stadium, he helped the club reach the play-offs in his debut campaign, while eighth and 10th-placed finishes followed in his next two seasons in charge.

The only concern is that Boro were often a ‘nearly side’ under his guidance, and it’s not something Albion want to be while in the second-tier. They need a born winner who can claw them back to the promised land of the Premier League.

But one thing you can say is that Carrick has normally got teams situated towards the top end of the table, a much better place than where the Baggies are at the moment.

Carrick may have had time to reflect on his Championship experience too and change his approaches that could work well at future clubs, and it certainly seems like a gamble the Baggies should take given he has so much room to develop and improve in another managerial role.

Gary O’Neil

Gary O’Neil will be a controversial choice given his past connections to bitter Black Country rivals Wolves, but he is one of the top picks for managers who are currently out of work.

O’Neil has already been linked with past vacancies at Southampton and Norwich City but hasn’t taken an opportunity since departing Molineux in December 2024, but could that change if something arises at The Hawthorns?

One thing that is for sure though is that it would be a massive gamble for Albion to take again. Similarly to Ryan Mason, O’Neil has played at the second-tier level but has never managed in it. However, he has at least shown he can have some success in the top-flight, taking over Bournemouth and doing a stellar job there before making a shock departure and then saving Wolves from relegation in his first season with the club.

It does appear that West Brom may need a boss with a bit more knowhow of managing in the rough and tumble of the Championship, but he should be under consideration if the club doesn’t land some of their preferred targets.