Eric Ramsey: The former Manchester United boss has been appointed as the new manager of West Bromwich Albion

By Steve Hermon, West Brom commentator on BBC Radio WM

It has been a dramatic 2026 for West Bromwich Albion and there is a fitting sense that Eric Ramsey is taking the reins just hours after the Baggies finally ended their away woes at the football club as he was handed his first professional coaching role in the game.

His path into coaching began at Swansea after he quit playing in the Welsh Premier League for Welshpool, close to where he grew up.

The decision means that although he may be the same age as his predecessor Ryan Mason, he has gained some valuable experience at Swansea, Shrewsbury, Manchester United and Chelsea, where he became the youngest person to obtain a UEFA professional licence.

Despite interest from English clubs, he made a bold move to become a head coach in Major League Soccer in 2024. He was tasked with coaching Minnesota United, who did not have the biggest budget, and he led them to the playoffs in his two seasons there.

He will be hoping to do exactly the same with Albion, perhaps not this season, but there will certainly be expectations of a push towards the top six next season.

Some fans will have reservations that the club have chosen another young manager, but the cliche is that age is just a number and owners have praised Bilchol for his “considerable experience” and “deep understanding” of English football.

They also picked his “intensity, organization and adaptability”, and he will need all of those skills to help make an immediate impact and get this underperforming team back in a positive direction.