West Brom job 'impossible to ignore' - Ramsay

New West Bromwich Albion head coach Eric Ramsay says the chance to take charge of the Championship club was "impossible to ignore".

The 34-year-old former Manchester United coach was appointed on a two-and-a-half-year contract on Sunday, following the sacking of Ryan Mason on 6 January.

The Albion job is Ramsay's second full-time management role and he arrives in the West Midlands off the back of an impressive two-season spell with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Minnesota United, where he led them to back-to-back Conference play-off semi-finals.

He also guided the team to their highest league finish of fourth in the Western Conference last term.

Ramsay's first game is against second-placed Middlesbrough at The Hawthorns on Friday as he tries to rejuvenate an underwhelming season that has them in 18th place, closer to the relegation zone than the play-off places.

"The timing is great," he told BBC Radio WM.

"I've been able to have a break from MLS - we had two very successful seasons in a very demanding league, so I felt like I achieved what I set out to achieve at Minnesota and squeezed every opportunity out of it.

"Off the back of a break, and this opportunity arising at this club, it just felt like it was almost impossible to ignore.

"Every encounter I've had up to this point has solidified why I wanted to be here and I hope I can continue that feeling."

Ramsay said starting against promotion-chasing Boro at home was a "really good" start to his reign and an "acid test" of where the squad is at.

"I want the team to build a connection with the crowd really quickly," he said.

"We will have to be at a really good level if we want it to be competitive."

In terms of how he wants the Baggies to play, Ramsay said he wants to see "efficiency" and no "wasted running" and the fans to arrive "knowing what to expect, week after week".

"My starting points as a coach will always be 'what are the players' strengths?' and how do you make sure you're seeing the best of them?" he added.

"I have a very clear idea how I'd like to see the team play collectively - some principles of play are non negotiable.

"The start point will be a high level of organisation, a clarity over how we are trying to control games with the ball and without it.

"I want the team to constantly look connected and I want there to be that level of expectation and consistency."

Before his move to the United States, Shrewsbury-born Ramsay garnered a wealth of coaching experienced at all levels in his work under Erik ten Hag at United, at Shrewsbury Town, Swansea City, Chelsea and with the Wales men's team.

"I've been coaching for 13, 14 years and the groundwork building to a role like this was incredibly important," he said.

"I trust the depth of experience that I've got in preparing me for this.

"The Championship is a relentless and high-level competition, with undoubtable ups and downs over the season.

"We won't be a staff that's too high or too low as we go through."

In terms of what Ramsay can do to strengthen the Baggies squad, money will be limited during the current transfer window as the club continues its financial recovery and compliance with the EFL's profit and sustainability rules.

Ramsay said he is aware there will not be a lot of new faces coming in this month.

"Right now it's about day to day with the players and I want to make sure I feel what the players are capable of," he said.

"This is a club that wants to improve and will always try to improve in transfer windows and that work is going on.

"It will be interesting to see how the window pans out but it's a small part of my focus at the moment."