"I don't think Ryan Mason survives" - West Brom boss handed clear warning | OneFootball

Ryan Mason has been forecasted to lose his job if performances don't improve

West Brom manager Ryan Mason has been warned that he must get the Baggies performing soon to keep his job.

There was much excitement in the summer when the 34-year-old was appointed as Albion boss, given the amount of time he had spent coaching at Tottenham Hotspur under quality leaders such as Antonio Conte and José Mourinho.

After failing to mount a challenge for the play-offs last term, a charge back towards the top six was hoped for at the Hawthorns, but that hasn’t turned out to be the case.

West Brom sit 17th in the table after 16 matches, having already failed to win on 10 occasions. The Baggies actually started the campaign strongly, picking up 10 points from their first four matches to challenge towards the top of the table.

However, the Black Country outfit have won just three more times since late August, with performances on the pitch falling well below the standard expected for a club that spent much of the previous decade in the Premier League.

Adrian Clarke hands Ryan Mason warning over job security

Naturally, pressure has mounted severely on Mason after this poor run of form.

Given that the 34-year-old’s current position is his first as a full-time manager in professional football, he has no experience or previous credentials to prove that he can drag West Brom out of this mess.

Up next are two home matches, against an in-form Birmingham City and a Swansea City team newly led by Vitor Matos.

When speaking on the What the EFL?! Podcast, former Arsenal and EFL midfielder Adrian Clarke believes that it is imperative that Mason’s side perform in these contests, or there could be severe consequences for his job.

“It's not an easy game with Birmingham's form,” stated Clarke when discussing the Baggies’ upcoming fixtures. “If he lasts beyond that, Swansea at home will be seen as an absolute must-win. You've got to beat Swansea at home.

“If they don't, then I don't think Ryan Mason survives the two games. It’s harsh in a way because I think that there is a smart football brain there, he can organise a team and they've been defensively very solid, good out of possession by and large.

“But he has been a bit cautious. They haven't scored enough goals. Six wins from 16 isn't good enough for West Brom.

“They are 17th, even though they haven’t got the spending power of some clubs these days, that they have to be at least top half.”

Ryan Mason may struggle for results in the next two matches

The higher-ups at West Brom may be forced into making a decision sooner rather than later if performances continue in their current fashion, due to how tightly compact the Championship is.

A few victories in succession can take a team from towards the bottom of the division up towards the fringes of the top six, which is why spells such as West Brom are suffering can’t be afforded.

Birmingham City look to have finally hit their stride with four wins in their last six league matches, so the Baggies can expect to face a tough challenge in keeping Chris Davies’ side at bay.

Swansea City will be full of optimism after the appointment of Vitor Matos and will be hoping for a new manager bounce, which could come at the worst time for West Brom.