West Bromwich Albion are closing in on the appointment of Eric Ramsay as their new head coach, with the former Manchester United assistant manager poised for a dramatic return to English football.
From Carrington to the Hawthorns
The 34-year-old Welshman, currently in charge of Major League Soccer side Minnesota United, has emerged as the leading candidate to take over at The Hawthorns. Ramsay's stock has risen significantly after guiding Minnesota to the MLS play-offs in both of his two full seasons in charge, catching the eye of the West Brom hierarchy.
His potential appointment comes after the Baggies dismissed Ryan Mason this week. Mason, who only joined from Tottenham last summer, was sacked after a run of six defeats in eight games left the club languishing in 18th place in the Championship. The final straw was a midweek loss to Leicester City.
A Coaching Reputation Forged at Old Trafford
Ramsay is highly regarded in coaching circles, largely due to his work at Manchester United. He arrived at the club's Carrington training ground in 2021 as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's final coaching recruit before the Norwegian's departure. Demonstrating his value, Ramsay retained his role under subsequent managers Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag.
Ten Hag was particularly vocal in his praise, telling the club's website in 2023: “Eric is a really talented coach, and he is progressing a lot. He is ambitious and this will happen, and it will improve him and help him to get new experiences, but also it will improve Manchester United as he will bring experiences back in our coaching.”
Alongside his club duties, Ramsay also spent six months as an assistant coach for the Wales men's national team from March 2023. His earlier career included youth development roles at Swansea City, Shrewsbury Town, and Chelsea.
Following a Proven Path from United's Backroom
If appointed, Ramsay would be the latest in a line of former Manchester United assistants to carve out successful management careers. Michael Carrick took charge of Middlesbrough and led them to the Championship play-offs, while Kieran McKenna achieved back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town, taking them from League One to the Premier League.
West Brom will be hoping Ramsay can replicate that kind of impact and revive their faltering season. The club's decision-makers, according to ESPN reports, are now ready to move for the ambitious young coach, seeing him as the ideal candidate to steer the Baggies away from the relegation zone and back up the Championship table.
