00:00Charlie, let's look at West Brom at Chalbion in terms of their business over the summer.
00:06Obviously, it's been fairly quiet and they are one of those clubs that fall into that range.
00:12If you're not really sure how the season is going to go for them, it's a bit of an open book.
00:16But they do have Ryan Mason in charge. We'll get on to him.
00:20In terms of West Brom's summer, how pleased, disappointed will fans be?
00:25Because there has been another bit of change in terms of the managerial situation.
00:30And not much to sort of go from in terms of incomings for them.
00:35Yeah, I think it's always going to be quite a challenging summer.
00:38Quite a few players leaving on free contracts.
00:40Players that fans, I think, are quite glad to see the back of, which from an outside perspective,
00:45you might be confused that they'll be happy to see the likes of Dean Garner, John Swift go.
00:49Semi Ajayi as well. These are players that have played in a Premier League.
00:52But the effort levels last season weren't quite there.
00:55They're definitely getting on in their years. The wages were high as well.
00:58And I think what West Brom lacked a lot last season was the mentality aspect of things.
01:03They needed a bit more leadership and they needed more energy.
01:05And those players just unfortunately weren't bringing it.
01:08They've not made too many new signings this summer, but there have been some exciting additions.
01:13Erna Hegeber coming in from Norway is a striker who's cost them several million pounds.
01:19Someone who can add a bit more depth up top because they struggled so much of injuries last season.
01:23The likes of Daryl Dike and Josh Madger unable to get consistent runs in a team.
01:28We're yet to see Tamir Bani as well. He was signed in the winter.
01:31He's hardly played. A Danish attacking midfielder.
01:34He could act like a new signing for them.
01:36So a couple of reinforcements in attack.
01:39And in defence, two big signings needed at centre-back.
01:41And they've got those. George Campbell coming in from the MLS.
01:45And then Nat Phillips as well, who's got plenty of championship experience.
01:48There's so many loans he's had from Liverpool in the past, now joining West Brom permanently.
01:54He is heading towards the end of his 20s, maybe into his 30s soon.
01:57But I think that's what West Brom needed.
01:59So he's got that experience, but isn't too old and isn't quite slowing down just yet.
02:03He should be able to come in and provide a lot of depth.
02:06Unfortunately, though, Torbjorn Hegem and Tom Fellows, two of West Brom's best players, could be leaving.
02:12It's a necessity, unfortunately, that West Brom make at least one big sale this summer because of PSR reasons.
02:20You're not aware about PSR, the profit and sustainability rules, causing nightmare for teams in the Premier League, but also in the championship as well.
02:27It doesn't look like West Brom are going to get into any trouble with it.
02:30But if they can sell someone for a big fee, it will certainly help.
02:33Hegem in talks over a £10 million move to Italy.
02:37And then Tom Fellows gathering Premier League interest as well.
02:39So we could see some big fees, but that does mean, on the flip side, that West Brom might finally be able to spend a bit more money.
02:46Yeah, and obviously, Ryan Mason coming in, we mentioned before how that brings a bit of excitement to the Hawthorns, a younger coach, a guy who's been a coach at Tottenham Hotspur.
02:57And if you look at their neighbours, Birmingham City with Chris Davies and that progress there, maybe this is a sort of era to be excited about.
03:04He's obviously come out and said how important it is that the process sort of happens fast and it accelerates.
03:11You can't really wait around for this to happen because, you know, if you do suddenly start the season slowly, you can certainly find yourself down the bottom of the championship.
03:20It's a very hard division to sort of navigate at times.
03:23How confident are you with Ryan Mason and what he sort of brings this fresh energy to the Hawthorns?
03:29I mean, you as a journalist as well, with the sort of bit of turbulence they've been through, must be excited to see that bit of fresh air that hopefully will come with Mason's appointment.
03:39Yeah, I think we're all hoping, and I'm far from a West Brom fan, but I think just everyone in general, especially with the football club, was hoping that Tony Mowbray would be the man to bring that fresh energy.
03:48Unfortunately, he wasn't. Ryan Mason, a lot younger, very early on in his managerial career, never properly had a permanent manager's job before this one, was the interim on a couple of occasions for Tottenham and was heavily involved with Tottenham, of course, as an assistant coach to Ange Bostokoglu, of course, involved in the Europa League title as well earlier this year.
04:06I think he should be a good appointment, but it's just difficult to say, isn't it? Because the jury's going to be out on him for quite a while, and it's so important that West Brom can get off to a strong start, or at the very least, not a bad start.
04:19If they could pick up a couple of draws, it might be a bit slow and frustrating, but at least they won't be losing games. You need fans to be on side with Ryan Mason from the very beginning.
04:27It's going to be difficult. West Brom fans, understandably, they've been through quite a lot in the last few years, quite a lot of frustration, just kind of mid-table mediocrity last season as well.
04:36They are expecting a lot from a new manager that could be difficult, but as we saw last season with Chris Davies at Blues, it is possible for a new manager to come in, a young manager, to make a difference, and hopefully he can do just that.
04:48Yeah, I mean, if you look at the Baggies' fixtures, I mean, it seems like they've got a bit of a favourable run.
04:54They obviously do come into that pool of teams a bit of unexpected going into the season, but I mean, in terms of the bigger size, you might expect to be up there.
05:04They do sort of avoid them for, you know, at least the first month or so.
05:07So, I mean, how important is it that West Brom do get off to a good start and then not sort of, you know, languish it?
05:14Let's say they're 8th by February and they think, oh, just what if we would have started the season well?
05:19It's so important that they really do hit the ground running now.
05:21Yeah, as I say, if they hit those bad runner fixtures a month or two into the season and they've not had a good start, it could get even worse.
05:30Things could turn sour. Confidence goes. I think confidence can breed confidence.
05:35So, if they can get just a couple of wins in their opening three or four games, that should really help.
05:39Just stay within touching distance of the teams relegated from the Premier League.
05:43Birmingham, we're probably expecting to be up there.
05:45Wrexham as well, spending a lot of money and getting lots of Premier League-proven players.
05:49It's going to be incredibly competitive. I think fans need to give West Brom the benefit of the doubt a little bit because it's going to be more competitive than we've seen in so many years.
05:58But they've got to be there and thereabouts, otherwise it'll be falling below expectations.
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