00:00Les Bromwich Albion are heading into a calculated summer window as they look to reshape the squad
00:08for a demanding championship season under new head coach Ryan Mason.
00:14After falling short in the play-off race and parting way through his car at Corboran last term,
00:20the baggies are focused on ensuring they remain competitive while operating within tight financial constraints.
00:27Key departures have already helped ease the financial burden with senior players offloaded to free up wages
00:34and create space for targeted additions.
00:37The club are now pursuing cost-effective deals, free transfers, loans and low-fee signings with potential resale value.
00:45We caught up with Charlie Haffan and the Birmingham World for an insight into Albion's approach.
00:50While West Brom are expected to be active in the market, the recruitment strategy will be cautious.
00:57The belief is that with smart planning, Mason can build a side capable of challenging without risking long-term stability.
01:04So, Charlie, starting with West Bromwich Albion and obviously Ryan Mason appointed as the next manager,
01:12a big statement.
01:14I mean, obviously, he's a manager coming in and he's fresh ideas.
01:18He's obviously got some fantastic experience in the top flight at the highest level.
01:23You know, he'd been trying to be poached before and he decided to stay on with Ange Postakar,
01:27who obviously helped deliver that Europa League, which was fantastic for them as a club.
01:31I mean, it all sort of makes sense, you feel, for all parties involved.
01:36It gives him the chance.
01:37It gives him a platform.
01:38It gives West Brom maybe this ambition that they need to go on and have a bit of a fresh start,
01:43maybe, over the last couple of seasons, obviously, with Carlos Corbran's exit
01:47and then the return of Mowbray not quite working out and them falling short.
01:51So, just firstly, your thoughts on Ryan Mason as manager and, you know, how are Albion fans feeling?
01:57What's the feeling around the Hawthorns ahead of the new campaign?
02:01I think it's a feeling of excitement.
02:03Obviously, it took so long to get the Tony Mowbray replacement in,
02:07but I think it was a lot of patience and consideration.
02:09Even with Mowbray, there was a lot of patience, but they made the wrong decision ultimately
02:13and I think they wanted to make sure they made the right one this time around.
02:16They knew that the playoffs were already kind of over for last season
02:19and I think if next season they don't get in the playoffs,
02:22then this club could really just kind of be stalemated, stagnated in the championship rather.
02:28Ryan Mason, he's not in a proper managerial role before and I think there are concerns over that.
02:33However, if you look at Chris Davies at Birmingham City, also coming from Tottenham,
02:37he's done so, so well.
02:39Ryan Mason as well, very highly thought of amongst the Tottenham backroom staff.
02:43Antiposto Koglu, of course, not at the club anymore,
02:45but he really favoured having Mason amongst his coaching ranks.
02:48Of course, he was the one who took interim charge of Spurs on a couple of occasions,
02:53so there's obviously a lot of trust there.
02:55Is he ready for management?
02:56It's difficult to say, isn't it?
02:57I think the jury will be out for quite a while,
03:00but it's quite positive that he's got quite a few relationships at Tottenham.
03:03Potentially West Brom could take advantage of that in the transfer market.
03:07The likes of Mikey Moore and Jamie Donnelly have already been linked for potential loan moves.
03:12Those would both be fantastic signings, in my opinion,
03:14if West Brom can really take them forward, give them a bit of young energy into that team.
03:18I think just in terms of the squad overhaul that's likely to happen as well,
03:22having someone like Mason in there who's quite raw, he's still quite young,
03:26seems to have a good tactical knowledge.
03:28I know that managers aren't necessarily that involved in their recruitment at West Brom,
03:32but I think they probably can tap into Mason's,
03:35maybe not experience because he hasn't got that,
03:38but he seems to have a decent mindset when it comes to it tactically.
03:41I'm happy to see them go because they were on high wages getting towards the end of their prime years
03:45and weren't quite having the same impact anymore.
03:48Those players will need to be replaced, though.
03:49You could argue that Ajayi has been replaced already by Nat Phillips joining.
03:53I think a pretty decent signing.
03:55Not sure what the fee is exactly, but it's likely to be pretty low.
03:58So you only have a year left on the Liverpool contract.
04:00And of course, he was only playing in the bottom end of the championship last season.
04:03I think that's a decent addition.
04:05They definitely will need to sign a new winger.
04:06If it could be Mikey Moore on loan from Spurs,
04:08I think that's probably the best option because it's low risk, isn't it?
04:11It's only a loan.
04:12You're not spending a big transfer fee.
04:14And then an attacking midfielder, a bit more creativity in there.
04:17But they might find that for a player who's already at the club.
04:20Tamir Bani, who signed in the winter for £3 million,
04:23didn't really get going because of fitness problems.
04:26But with a proper pre-season under his belt, he could have a good impact
04:29and he's supposed to be a very creative player.
04:31Ryan Mason, I think, will have a little bit of money to spend this summer,
04:34a little bit more than the likes of Mowbray and Corbran had in the past.
04:38So, yeah, there could be quite a few exciting additions for West Brom
04:40and the team could look very different next season.
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