Ramsay's experience belies his age - West Brom owner

West Bromwich Albion owner and chairman Shilen Patel says Eric Ramsay's 'untypical' coaching experience for someone his age was a big reason why he was hired as the Championship club's new boss.

Ramsay, 34, has built a comprehensive and wide-ranging CV at Swansea City, Shrewsbury Town and in Chelsea's academy - where he became the youngest person in Britain to achieve the Uefa Pro License.

He was also assistant first-team coach at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag and had a spell in an international set-up with the Wales men's team.

Ramsay has arrived at The Hawthorns off the back of an impressive two-season stay with MLS side Minnesota United, taking them to their highest league finish of fourth in the Western Conference last term.

Aware that Ramsay is the same age as the man he has replaced - Ryan Mason - Patel says he does not see that as a potential concern.

"His coaching journey is commensurate with people who are a decade or more older than him," Patel told BBC Radio WM.

"Having gone through the beginning, middle and end of a season in the MLS - and every season is challenging because of parity and travel - that body of work and having to go through those ups and downs are massive things and belie the age.

"His time of coaching is not typical to someone his age."

Ramsay is Albion's third permanent boss since Carlos Corberan's sudden departure to Valencia less than 13 months ago.

The fairy-tale return of Tony Mowbray did not work out while Mason lasted only four months into his first season with the Baggies 18th in the Championship table.

Patel said the decision to part ways with the former Tottenham coach was not just down to results.

"It was never meant to be a game-to-game situation. We were looking at it in terms of outcomes and some underling factors," he added.

"It wasn't just about wins and loses. We have to separate all those things out and figure out whether the underlying direction is where we want to go. It's never down to a single result."

Patel said the sacking managers is "always difficult" and "not something we desire to do" but added coaches "understand the pressures" on them and clubs.

Ramsay's immediate aim will be to try to salvage something from the season with the club seven points above the relegation zone and 10 shy of the play-off places after 26 matches.

"We absolutely need to see it as a 20-game season," Patel said.

"We're looking at it in phases. First, do we see the players and coach well integrated? Are we getting the buy-in we expect?

"A couple of wins can change so much in this league. The definition of success at this point is to play to the level that we believe this group is capable of.

"There's a lot of belief that we are a lot better than the table says."

Since taking over nearly two years ago, Patel has had to balance his ambition to return Albion to the Premier League with the challenges of complying with the EFL's profit and sustainability rules (PSR) due to the financial situation he inherited from the previous owners.

After the club posted losses of £33.9m in 2023-24, Patel is braced for another deficit in 2024-25.

Despite that, Patel is confident the future is brighter and the club is in a much healthier position.

"I believe we are. This was probably the most challenging of the three-year cycle - we've had so many PSR elements that we inherited," he said.

"We are now at a point where through some difficult decisions and manoeuvring around how we turn the squad over, I feel good about where we are relative to future compliance.

"It hasn't been painless, or without its challenges, but, in the things we can control and manage, the club is getting better.

"We continue to be committed at making things better. We can't promise perfection but we can promise commitment to improvement."