Ryan Mason first words as new West Brom manager leaves Tottenham Hotspur for Albion top job
West Bromwich Albion have confirmed the appointment of Ryan Mason as their new head coach on a three-year contract. The 33-year-old has left his role as Tottenham Hotspur assistant manager to team up with the Baggies, succeeding Tony Mowbray and ending West Brom’s managerial search of nearly two months.
After much deliberation, Mason has taken the plunge and accepted his first proper manager’s job following two brief spells as Spurs’ interim head coach – when Jose Mourinho was sacked in 2021 and when Antonio Conte left in 2023. West Brom’s new man won six of his 13 matches in charge of Tottenham, losing six and drawing one.
Among those supporting Mason as part of his backroom staff will be James Morrison, Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill, while Nigel Gibbs has left Reading to become one of the new assistant coach and Sam Pooley has joined as head of performance.
Albion spoke to several candidates and were patient in their approach, knowing the next appointment will be pivotal as the club seeks to move back into Championship play-off contention. Mason isn’t expected to be heavily involved in the recruitment as there’s quite the disconnect between the head coach and the boardroom – as explosively revealed by Mowbray – but he’s likely to have a slight influence.
Ryan Mason’s first words as West Brom manager
It wasn’t an easy decision for Mason to leave Spurs after they just ended their 17-year trophy drought, winning the Europa League and qualifying for next season’s Champions League by beating Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao last month. Mason believes the time has come to take a leading role in the dugout, though, and he’s excited to be joining.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to have been appointed head coach of West Bromwich Albion,” Mason said. This is a huge club with a fantastic infrastructure and an incredible fan base and I am excited about what we can achieve together.
“Having spoken at length to the board and those at the club I am convinced that Albion is the perfect place for me to be and I can’t wait to get started. I will bring with me a huge amount of enthusiasm, dedication and ambition and look forward to a positive future together at such a fantastic club.”
Meanwhile, chairman Shilen Patel has explained the decision to appoint Mason. “We are delighted to welcome Ryan to The Hawthorns as our new head coach, along with Nigel and Sam,” Patel said. “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.”
West Brom: Ryan Mason factor tipped to lead Baggies to Tottenham transfer triumph over Birmingham City
West Brom and Birmingham City are both set to compete for the signing of Mikey Moore on loan from Tottenham Hotspur this summer.
It was reported by Football Insider earlier this week that both Championship clubs are eyeing a move for the 17-year-old.
Moore earned 10 Premier League appearances under Ange Postecoglou last season, as well as five games in the Europa League, but is far from an important part of the senior first team squad.
The Baggies have recently appointed ex-Spurs coach Ryan Mason as their latest manager, which could play a role in determining Moore’s decision over his immediate future.
| Mikey Moore – Tottenham Hotspur league goals and appearances (per Fbref.com) | ||||
| Season | Appearances (Starts) | Goals (Assists) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 2 (0) | 0 | ||
| 2024-25 | 10 (3) | 0 (1) | ||
Mikey Moore has major transfer decision to make – West Brom & Ryan Mason could hold the key
When asked if having Mason as manager could give them an edge in the race for Moore, FLW’s West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess claimed it could help.
He claimed it’s a major decision for Moore, and that the fact he knows the Albion boss so well could play a factor in determining where he goes this summer, if he leaves Spurs on loan.
“I think it definitely helps with Mason being someone who has worked with Mikey Moore last season,” Burgess told Football League World.
“Obviously Chris Davies spent some time at Tottenham as well, so it’s not like he’s a complete stranger to him.
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