West Brom Sack Ryan Mason - Who’s Going to Replace Him?

Baggies Hunt New Manager After Record Defeats Streak

All eyes were on the Hawthorns ahead of the season, eager to see how Ryan Mason would fare away from the Spurs coaching set-up in his first senior managerial stint.

It's safe to say it didn’t go to plan.

Seven months later, the 34-year-old is out the door at West Bromwich Albion, after the West Midlands outfit suffered 10 straight defeats away from home, dating back to the beginning of October.

It was always a risk bringing in such a young manager with little experience heading a coaching team, and for the Baggies, who have ambitions to return to the top flight, 18th place is not good enough.

I’m not even sure what to say anymore.

Part of me is sympathetic towards Mason. Individuals have let him down sometimes. On other occasions we’ve been marginally on the wrong side of a result.

However, TEN away losses in a row. Eighteenth. Not good enough. #WBA

— The Baggies Bible 𓅪 (@TheBaggiesBible) January 5, 2026

Shilen Patel, Andrew Nestor, and the rest of the board in the Black Country will already be looking for his replacement. With the club's next league match 10 days away, you can expect new personnel to be in the dugout by the time West Brom hosts Middlesbrough next Friday. Here are the favourites…

Local Lad, Lee Carsley

The current England U21 boss is persistently linked with managerial jobs in England, especially since the 51-year-old won five of his six games in charge of England, between the firing and hiring of Gareth Southgate and Thomas Tuchel.

Carsley was born and raised in Birmingham, 15 minutes down the road from West Bromwich, and continues to live in the Midlands whilst playing an integral role in England’s development departments.

The former Everton midfielder has never made it apparent whether he would consider being the head coach of a team, but his track record hints that he might be against the idea. Having taken up interim roles at Coventry City, Brentford, and Birmingham City, he would always step up to steady the ship as he did with the Three Lions in 2024.

Clearly possessing the skills to work wonders at any club, if anyone could convince Carsley into an EFL position, it's the Baggies, but after signing a two-year contract extension last summer, having led England to a first U21 Euros title in over 40 years. It looks unlikely.

Lee Carsley has been approached before by Bilkul but did not want to move into club management at that point due to the day to day requirements.
Interesting to see if we return and if his stance has changed.#WBA

— MR.BAGGIES (@MrBaggies) January 6, 2026

Magic Michael Carrick

Carrick is a man in demand; it has been reported that Manchester United contacted the 44-year-old, viewing him as a serious candidate to take over at the club until the end of the season. West Brom’s board, however, will try to tempt him back to the Championship and into a long-term role instead.

The stats speak for themselves, Carrick won 63 of his 136 games in charge of Middlesbrough, including an incredible 60% win ratio in the 2022/23 campaign that saw the ex-pro save Boro from relegation, and lead them to a 4th placed finish.

Bringing an attractive style of three at the back football to the Hawthorns would soothe the pain inflicted throughout 2025. A baptism of fire against his old club would also be a tasty storyline, too.

Taking the Manchester United job would be a far more high-profile move, which could result in Carrick getting the full-time role; however, it could result in global embarrassment. The former England international’s next job will only be his second in the senior management game; therefore, he might prefer a quieter project that is bound to have willing investment in England’s second tier.

West Brom next manager odds:

Lee Carsley - 10/3
Michael Carrick - 4/1
James Morrison - 8/1
Russell Martin - 8/1
Carlos Corberan - 10/1
Michael Skubala - 14/1
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - 14/1

(Via @oddschecker) pic.twitter.com/FlvoYmFA1c

— The72 - We Love the #EFL (@_The72) January 6, 2026

Jumping on the Reunion Trend (Carlos Corberan)

It’s been just over 12 months since the Spaniard was ripped from England, chasing the chance to manage his hometown club, Valencia. West Brom never wanted Corberan to leave. The man who saved the club from relegation, before going on to a 5th-place finish.

Since their break-up, neither party has healed. The Baggies have endured two failed managerial appointments, and Corberan is being urged to quit the Valencia job, with the club 18th in La Liga and staring down the barrel of relegation.

🚨 Carlos Corberán received LOUD boos and anti-chants by Valencia fans at the airport following their 4-1 defeat to Celta Vigo this afternoon.

“Corberán, dimisión” which translates to “Corberán, resignation” was loudly chanted upon arrival. #wba

🎥 @TribunaVCF pic.twitter.com/WH1hBHepHa

— westbrom.fc (@talkwba) January 3, 2026

In the 2025/26 Championship season alone, we have seen Chris Wilder return to Sheffield United and Javi Gracia to Watford. This move works out on all fronts: Valencia can be rid of their coach, West Brom can have him back, and both sides will see an upturn in form as a result.

Corberan won 47 of his 107 games in charge of the Baggies and also previously led Huddersfield Town to a Championship playoff final.

Other Options

Most West Brom fans will have fond memories of Slaven Bilic’s time at the club. In his one and only full season, the Croat led the club to Championship promotion, officially the last manager to do so. It has been 18 months since his previous coaching role. Having recently been linked with a return to West Ham, it might in fact be West Brom that ends up playing Bilic ball once again.

It went down to the wire for Slaven Bilic & his team 😬

But @WBA achieved their goal & won promotion to the Premier League 🙌

Watch EVERY goal of a memorable journey back to the top flight of English football 📺🍿 #WBA pic.twitter.com/SHIhbLm3im

— Sky Bet (@SkyBet) July 24, 2020

There is always a chance that an interim boss ends up with the position he is sent to oversee, with Southampton’s Tonda Eckert a perfect recent example. James Morrison is a WBA legend, and managed to pick up four points from the two games he took charge of at the end of last season. If he impresses once again, this could be a surprise feel-good appointment.

If West Brom are willing to take a risk again, Eric Ramsay is a young coach who looks set for a successful career. Having previously worked on the coaching team at Chelsea and Manchester United, his first full role at Minnesota United has seen him implement excellent defensive strategies, revolutionising the MLS side. However, he is yet to prove himself outside of the States, with this move potentially ending in a similar way to Wilfried Nancy’s disaster month at Celtic.

Now we attack the top of the table.

More from Head Coach Eric Ramsay. pic.twitter.com/MNVUUmPK0d

— Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) June 2, 2025

Nestor will have to get his next appointment correct; the sporting director’s first two coaching decisions (Tony Mowbray and Mason) have both ended in major disappointment. Another slip-up might spell out his fate two years on from joining the club…