Morrison 'fully in' over West Brom revival task

West Bromwich Albion interim head coach James Morrison said he is "fully in" and trying "not to feel the pressure" as he attempts to rejuvenate the club in the aftermath of Eric Ramsay's dismissal.

Ramsay was sacked on Tuesday night after the Baggies lost 1-0 at home to Charlton Athletic, a result that left them one point clear of the relegation zone in the Championship.

It is the third time in less than a year that the former West Brom midfielder has stepped up to take charge, having done so following the exits of Tony Mowbray,Ryan Mason and, after just 44 days, Ramsay.

Morrison, 39, said there was "no question" the past few days had been "difficult", but he was focused on the task in front of him.

"I'm positive, I've got a job to do, so I'm fully in," he told BBC Radio WM. "The club comes first. I've been asked to do a job and I'm going to do it."

The failure of former Manchester United coach Ramsay, 34, who was without a win in his nine games in charge, has drawn sharp criticism from fans and raised questions over the wisdom of appointing a manager with no direct experience of the Championship or the English Football League.

Morrison said the situation that Ramsay walked into - with the club having lost 10 away games in a row and sitting seven points above the bottom three - would have been challenging for a lot of bosses.

"There's also been experienced managers here who have come in midway through the season and found it difficult," he said.

"So when you come in, you've got to try and get momentum quickly, get results, or ultimately the pressure is going to come."

"The club are in a situation where they don't want to be, so they've made a decision.

"It's a brutal business. With Ryan, Tony and Eric, this is a results business, and in the Championship this is a big football club, so the expectation is going to be there.

"You've got to back it up early or the pressure comes on you."

Morrison's first game back at the helm is at fellow relegation candidates Oxford United on Saturday (15:00 GMT) - a game that has been called the club's "biggest in 20 years".

"We know it's a big game, but there's also 11 other games after this and plenty of points to play for. But we have to start somewhere and get some momentum going," he said.

"We're looking for answers and we know what we've got to do."

The former Scotland international's association with the Baggies stretches back almost 20 years to when he signed from Middlesbrough in August 2007.

He has been a coach since retiring in 2019 after more than 300 appearances for the Baggies, and said he "cares deeply" about the club and would take charge until the end of the season "if that's what I'm asked".

"I've always had the support from the [majority of] fans, so I feel the connection. I feel the love and, you know, I really appreciate that," Morrison said.

"I want to give them a result that they've been craving for and a performance that they can enjoy.

"My plan is to get us out of trouble. I try not to think about the pressure, I'm just trying to think about winning and setting a team up that's organised and knows what they're doing."