West Bromwich Albion

Former West Bromwich Albion midfielder Richard Sneekes says Ryan Mason's sacking was "inevitable" although the Baggies did not deserve to lose his final game at Leicester.

The Dutch midfielder, who made more than 220 appearance in a five-year spell at The Hawthorns, joined BBC WM's Tuesday night Football phone-in reacting to the news of Mason's departure.

Mason left after just seven months in charge following a last-gasp 2-1 defeat at the King Power Stadium on Monday - Albion's 10th straight defeat on the road.

"It was inevitable," Sneekes said. "I think Monday was the first time in a long time they were the better team for 90 minutes. There was a pattern of play and style of playing I hadn't seen before.

"The players were playing for him, there is absolutely no doubt about it. Did he still make some mistakes? Yes.

"I thought he must have known, deep down, that not winning could cost him his job, so he might as well have gone for it.

"I'd have done Daryl Dike instead of Isaac Price, go 4-4-2, [Leicester] weren't very good in the air, they struggled from crosses and corners.

"He went like for like. If your job's on the line you might as well go out with a bang and go for it and see if you can get the three points.

"I'm not saying Dike is the answer, but 17 squad involvements, 35 minutes, that's five minutes a game he's come on. He could have maybe been the saviour.

"They should have gone for it. It was a massive sucker-punch, they didn't deserve it. I truly thought if they'd got the win they could have kicked-on, but they don't."

Sneekes thinks rookie head coach Mason would have benefited from an experienced head to work, adding: "I just didn't see how he could change a game. Subs were like-for-like.

"I feel sorry for him in a way, but if you don't learn from your mistakes the consequences are this, that's football.

"I think he's a good coach, I just think he needed a mentor."

Sneekes said the stature of the club and the quality in the squad means the position will appeal to managers, and gave his own backing to former Baggies defender and boss Darren Moore returning in an interim role.

Moore, who was previously in charge at The Hawthorns from 2018-19, was sacked by Port Vale at the end of December.

"Somebody will want the job," Sneekes added. "It's a big club. It's just finding the right person. Monday showed there is a team there. It's a tough decision.

"Mooro is free and knows the club well, did well at Sheffield Wednesday. The goodwill will come back if he came back. He's got great knowledge of the club.

"I don't think that's a bad shout for the foreseeable future."

Image source, Shutterstock

We asked for your views after West Bromwich Albion sacked head coach Ryan Mason on Tuesday morning.

The former Tottenham coach was only appointed in June but leaves with the Baggies 18th in the Championship.

We had a brilliant response so, thanks for getting in touch and here is a selection of the thoughts of Albion supporters:

Andy - I don't think that's the right move. The problems run much deeper than just changing the manager.

The fans have become very toxic and are far too quick to boo the players. That only piles pressure on the team, so it's no wonder mistakes happen.

Scott - I always thought Mason seemed pragmatic and honest about the team and job in hand.

I don't doubt he is a very capable coach, and could go on to be a top manager but at the end of the day results are how managers are judged. Possibly a job too big for a young manager?

Rich - The100% correct decision, but Andrew Nestor (sporting director) must tender his resignation today. Two appointments he's got completely wrong.

Paul - Should not have sacked him. Mid-table this year would have been acceptable with the play-offs being the goal next season. You can't head hunt someone and not give them time. How are young British managers going to get a chance?

Jimmy - Feel for him, but 10 straight away losses isn't just unlucky like they were against Leicester. It runs much deeper. We're not the best team in the Championship but we're better than 18th!

Get Slaven Bilic back, for me.

Don - Sacking the manager is the easy option. The players lost the Leicester game by poor finishing, poor concentration, and a lack of skill.

Whereas Mason did make mistakes we should look at the players too.

In addition the senior management need to take some responsibility for the current chain of events.

Terry - Mason's appointment divided opinion, his dismissal before the January window is also likely to divide opinion.

With the odd exception, performances were generally OK, results definitely weren't.

Were Albion in any real danger of relegation? Probably not. Will a change of manager propel them into the play-offs? Probably not.

David - Definitely. Given him plenty of time. Start by not losing if you cannot win.

Southampton were playing 'good football ' last year and not winning and look what happened to them.

West Bromwich Albion seriously look like they are going to be in a relegation battle unless something changes.

Marty - So they sell Alex Palmer, Tom Fellows, Torbjorn Heggem and Darnell Furlong and then sack the manager when we don't get the results they want.

I know they have been trying to navigate a tricky financial mess but I think it's a bit harsh on Mason.

Herefordbaggie - You could say he is an unlucky manager, but losing 10 away on the bounce is not luck alone. Poor substitution decisions and game management have cost him.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC WM's Football Phone-In is back and tonight it is all about Albion as we get all the reaction to the sacking of head coach Ryan Mason from 18:00 GMT for an hour long special.

Join Baggies reporter Steve Hermon and former midfielder Richard Sneekes in the studio and have your say by calling 08081 009 956.

The episode will be available to watch right here on the BBC website so make sure to check back later for live coverage or listen in with BBC Radio WM on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

West Bromwich Albion are looking for their fourth manager in barely a year after sacking Ryan Mason.

He was only appointed in June after Tony Mowbray was sacked before the end of last season.

The former Tottenham coach won only nine of his 27 games in charge with defeat at Leicester on Monday night their 10th successive away loss.

But is it the right decision to sack Mason and who should the Baggies replace him with?

Let us know your thoughts here and check back later to see some of your responses.

West Bromwich Albion boss Ryan Mason spoke to BBC Radio WM after Monday's dramatic 2-1 defeat at Leicester City.

"It seems to be the way of it at the moment," he said. "We are on a terrible run in terms of away games, but you look at the last seven or eight games that we have played, we have had more shots at goal than the opposition, more shots on target, more chances created, and conceded so little at our end as well.

"But for some reason, pretty much every shot that goes on our target ends up as a goal, which is incredible. We are just not able to capitalise on our moments.

"Standing on the side of the pitch, I got so much pride in my team, especially in the moment we are in, because they keep running and they never stop running for me. But also they play the game with so much quality.

"I am proud of the team and proud of the performance, and we deserve so much more. In reality, a lack of discipline at the end cost us what would have been a harsh point in my opinion and we end up coming away with nothing."

Sunderland are prepared to let Luke O'Nien, 31, depart this month with Birmingham, Coventry and West Bromwich Albion interested in the English defender. (Chronicle), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Chris Hall
Fan writer

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Baggies fans travelled to Swansea on New Year's Day in the hope that 2026 would see Albion resolve the away-day blues which dogged them for so much of 2025.

However, the 90 minutes in South Wales were more of the same in so many ways.

Much as they did in their final away day of 2025 at Hull, Albion had the better of the chances but ended up on the wrong side of a 1-0 scoreline.

That was The Throstles' ninth consecutive away defeat and their 10th overall for the season.

To put the latter stat into perspective, despite only having played 56% of their total away games, the Baggies have already lost two more than they did in the whole of last season.

They have also lost the same number of away games in just over half a season as last season's bottom club, Cardiff, lost in all of 2024-25.

It's a startlingly bad record, so it's fair to assume Albion are turning in feeble performances on the road, right? Well, actually, no!

Albion haven't lost the xG battle in any of their last three away games, which shows they are creating more than their opponents in many games.

Of course, xG isn't an exact science, but it gives us a guide as to how a team should be performing and across this run of nine defeats, the data suggests Albion should have scored 10 goals. In reality, they've scored just six.

So being profligate in front of goal is a problem for Mason's men, but it's at the other end where Albion have really been shooting themselves in the foot.

The Baggies have made mistake, after mistake, after mistake to gift opposition teams goals on the road.

Albion have not drawn a single game away from home all season, and much of this has to do with the volume of gift-wrapped goals they consistently served up to opposing sides.

The Baggies conceded goals against Ipswich, QPR, Southampton and Swansea from losing possession in their own final third.

Goals against Charlton and another against QPR were down to poor handling from the goalkeeper, while discipline played a big part in the defeats by Coventry and Hull, with a red card in both games and an unnecessary penalty conceded in the latter.

Christmas may be over, but Albion have been dishing out presents for months.

The positive is, if Mason can find the root cause of the complacency that is decimating his team's away form and stamp it out, then there's enough in the performances to believe this tide can turn.

But, at present, new year, new Albion feels a long way off.

Listen to more from Chris Hall at the Albion Analysis, external

West Bromwich Albion head coach Ryan Mason says the run his side are on at the moment is "embarrassing" after losing 1-0 at Swansea on New Year's Day.

He told BBC Radio WM: "Obviously a lot of anger, a lot of frustration. It's a tough game to analyse. We are not able to make changes because of our squad at the moment.

"We came up against a team who made four changes and I think in the first half you could feel the energy difference.

"But they didn't really create anything in the first half and then second half I thought we grew into it, we were by far the better team.

"We had chances but the reality is a lot of our games this season have hinged on moments and being clinical and we weren't clinical today.

"If you don't take them, you open yourself open to conceding a worldie from 25 yards. That was the difference.

"The run we have been on is incredible, it's embarrassing. But if you actually go through those games, we have had a lot of opportunities - probably a lot better than we had today in fairness."

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Manchester United have recalled midfielder Toby Collyer from his loan spell at Championship side West Bromwich Albion.

The 21-year-old academy graduate joined the Baggies in August in order to gain regular first-team experience. Collyer made 12 appearances for Ryan Mason's side, starting three matches, and registered one assist during his time at The Hawthorns.

His season has been disrupted by injury, with a calf problem sustained in West Brom's match against Birmingham City on 26 November leaving him sidelined in recent weeks. Collyer now returns to Old Trafford to focus on his recovery and potentially bolster Ruben Amorim's midfield options.

Collyer made his senior United debut in August 2024, becoming the club's 251st academy graduate. He went on to make 13 appearances during the 2024-25 season.

Swansea City will look to continue their climb up the table as they host West Bromwich Albion on New Year's Day (15:00 GMT).

The Swans have won four of their past six matches (D2) to see them seven points ahead of relegation danger.

But pressure is mounting on Baggies boss Ryan Mason as the West Midlands side get lost in the midtable and the 34-year-old will want to start 2026 off with a bang to quieten his doubters.

• Swansea City have lost only one of their last 10 home league meetings with West Bromwich Albion (W7 D2), going unbeaten in their last five (W3 D2).

• West Bromwich Albion beat Swansea 3-2 earlier this season at home and will be looking to complete a league double over the Swans for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign under Darren Moore and then James Shan.

• Swansea City have won their opening fixture in just one of the last four calendar years (D1 L2), though it was a 1-0 home win against West Bromwich Albion on New Year's Day 2024.

• No team have suffered more defeats on New Year's Day in the Football League than West Bromwich Albion (29 – level with Preston), though the Baggies did beat Preston North End 3-1 on this day last year.

• In the reverse fixture in November, Swansea City's Zan Vipotnik netted the second quickest goal on record in the Championship (since 2013-14), scoring after 11 seconds in his side's eventual defeat.

Steve Hermon
BBC Radio WM's West Bromwich Albion commentator

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First and foremost, I feel sorry for Tammer Bany. He's a polite and pleasant lad and this has been a rotten first year in English football for him.

I spoke to him during the club's pre-season training camp in Austria where he was looking forward to finally making an impression after struggling with minor injuries in his debut campaign in English football.

He'd made just four substitute appearances under previous boss, Tony Mowbray after arriving for a reported fee of around £3m from Danish side FC Randers in the January transfer window.

In that interview, Bany spoke about his quick rise through the Danish league system. It wasn't long ago that the 22-year-old was playing at a level the player himself likened to League Two in our pyramid system.

Not long after we spoke, he picked up another injury that kept him out until November.

Since then, he's appeared on the bench eight times, and played a single minute in in an away defeat for QPR, where the PA announcer was perhaps as surprised as everyone else at his cameo appearance because he was announced as fellow midfielder, Ousmane Diakite.

Despite head coach Ryan Mason explaining his absence on multiple occasions in interviews and revealing just last week that the young midfielder is even struggling with the rigours of training, frustration has grown amongst supporters over his lack minutes, particularly after he made his international debut for Jordan in November.

He played 70 minutes in a goalless draw with Mali, while in 11 months for the Baggies, he's not started a single game and played a combined 51 minutes off the bench.

Perhaps it was down to the anticipation of seeing him play after sporting director Andrew Nestor cited "significant interest" from across the Europe in the midfielder, who he called "one of the most effective attacking midfielders in Denmark", when they announced his signing on a three-and-a-half-year deal at the start of 2025.

A fair chunk of money was spent based on that data and his potential to grow, but at the moment it's looking like a poor use of limited funds by the club, who've already revealed they don't have money to spend in next month's transfer window on a full-time replacement.

It leaves Mason's already stretched midfield department now even thinner, with another injured midfielder, Toby Collyer expected to be recalled from his loan by parent club Manchester United in the next few days.

Image source, Getty Images

West Bromwich Albion attacking midfielder Tammer Bany has been ruled out for four months with a thigh injury sustained in training which requires surgery.

The Denmark-born 22-year-old made his international debut for Jordan in a friendly against Mali in November and faces a race to be fit for their 2026 World Cup campaign, which has seen the tournament debutantes drawn in a group with Austria, Algeria and defending champions Argentina next June.

Bany came off the bench for the only time this season for the final minute of Albion's 3-1 defeat at QPR on 6 December, while he has been an unused sub on seven occasions.

He made four substitute appearances in the second half of the 2024-25 season after joining the Baggies late in the January transfer window from Danish side Randers on a three-and-a-half year contract for a reported fee of £3.3m.

Image source, Shutterstock

Ryan Mason hopes to lift the mood around West Bromwich Albion by ending their away day woes and building some momentum as they enter 2026.

Albion won their opening two Championship games of the season but their six wins after that were all followed by a loss in their next match.

They have the chance to end that run, and eight consecutive away defeats, at Swansea on Thursday (15:00 GMT) having picked up just a second win in six games against QPR on Monday night.

Mason told BBC Radio WM: "It's not normal to lose that many games in a row away from home.

"We have tampered and changed a few things to give ourselves a better platform to get results. We need to stay strong with our principles, what we believe in, and try and assert ourselves.

"It's not good enough, losing that many games, absolutely not, it needs to change."

Mason admitted he was surprised by boos in The Hawthorns stands when he took Aune Heggebo and Mikey Johnston off midway through the second half on Monday, but knows winning games is the only way they can lift the mood in the crowd as well as in the dressing room.

"I was happy to respond [to back-to-back losses], that was the most important thing. We deserved to win," he added.

"I was surprised by the reaction. Everyone can see the physical toll the game had taken on them. It's a busy period. I think the most important thing for the players is to feel the support all the time.

"When you lose games it's not a good mood. The only way to change that is by winning games and you create a different energy and feeling around the place."

Defender Nat Philips scored the opening goal against the R's and says Albion will stay level headed as they seek to build momentum to climb back up the table.

"I think you can tell there has been moments where confidence has been low recently because of the form," he said.

"We recognise momentum is something that has been missing, trying to build on a previous win, so that's certainly a short term goal of ours."

Albion came from 2-0 down at half-time to beat Swansea in the reverse fixture in November and Phillips added: "We have put in some great one-half performances over the season but not over the two and that's cost us in a few games.

"We are aware of [the away losing run] and we want to put it right."

Image source, Getty Images

West Bromwich Albion head coach Ryan Mason believes his side were "really good value" following their 2-1 win over Queen's Park Rangers.

George Campbell's headed effort gave the Baggies a 1-0 halftime lead before Ousmane Diakite's own goal brought proceedings level. Nat Phillips then rose highest in the 55th minute from a Mikey Johnston free kick to retake the host's initial lead who saw out the rest of the match for a much-needed win.

"Happy with the win, happy to respond because that was the most important thing today just to find a way to win," said Mason to BBC Radio West Midlands.

"I thought it was really good value. We played a good game. We were disciplined. We created numerous chances to score more goals.

"Unfortunate to concede, but I thought the players played a good game and we deserved to win. The challenge now is to get ready to go again.

"I think you're maybe nervous when you concede opportunities, but I don't think we were conceding anything.

"Maybe that's a feeling in the stadium at the moment because of where we are in the league but I felt really comfortable.

"If anything, I was a bit disappointed we didn't score a third or a fourth because the chances were there, we had opportunities."

Image source, Rex Features

West Bromwich Albion head coach Ryan Mason has called Bristol City's Anis Mehmeti aerial collision with Callum Styles a "clear red card" and "reckless" following his side's 1-2 home loss.

The Baggies' Styles stayed down in the 16th minute following an aerial collision against Mehmeti which the Robins striker was ultimately yellow carded for by referee Will Finnie. He then opened the scoring six minutes later.

Styles stayed on the field after the incident, being replaced by Daryl Dike on the 77th minute.

"To concede the [first] goal, it's clearly offside. It completely changes the energy. It disrupts us and that's a big challenge to overcome," Mason told BBC Radio West Midlands after the match.

"We have a massive opportunity very soon after, a two-on-one against their keeper, and we don't take it and then a clear red card, five yards from the referee, that he chose not to send the player off for a really dangerous elbow that's probably broken Cal's [Callum Styles] nose.

"It was a poor challenge, really poor, dangerous, reckless. We had a player sent off last week for not touching the opposition, and it wasn't rescinded either.

"So that seems to be the way at the minute, those types of things. It seems okay to make these decisions against us and we'll probably get our 10th email in a couple of days saying there were a couple of massive mistakes again."