Lewis Cox brings you all the latest from Ryan Mason's West Brom press conference

Express & Star

Lewis Cox brings you all the latest from Ryan Mason's latest press conference ahead of West Brom's clash with Portsmouth.

Transcript

00:01Baggies fans, we've just chatted with head coach Ryan Mason ahead of tomorrow's visit of Portsmouth to the Hawthorns in the Championship.

00:08Third game of the season, isn't it? Still this new season, but one in which Ryan Mason's baggies have made an excellent start, it must be said.

00:15An excellent start, obviously, to the young head coach's tenure at the Hawthorns.

00:19Two wins from two so far in the league, as we know, plus that EFL Cup penalty shootout defeat to exit to Derby.

00:26But, no, it's been a very encouraging start, as we know, and Albion and Ryan Mason are hopeful of more of the same.

00:31Obviously, the head coach has, you know, on paper this is a fixture, isn't it, that Portsmouth were newly promoted last season.

00:39They got humbled, really, didn't they, at the Hawthorns in January when Albion were under Tony Mowbray.

00:43It was 5-1 that afternoon. On paper, this is a fixture, Albion, as the hosts looking to do well this season.

00:49As with most games at the Hawthorns, to be honest, we'll be looking to win, to be on top of.

00:53But Ryan Mason sounded a note of warning, really, that fixtures in this division should and are never a given, really.

01:01So, yeah, he's guarded against that, I would say, against any sort of, you know, very early for this,

01:07but carried away from the start, you know, that complacency word.

01:10None of that will and is existing here, certainly.

01:14You know, there will be that expectation in the crowd tomorrow, and rightly so.

01:17You know, this is West Bromwich Albion. Yes, been in the championship longer than they want to,

01:22but, you know, it becomes more of a challenge when you are in the championship.

01:25But this is still Albion v Pompey in the championship, and one the hosts will expect, hope to,

01:29and expect to win, and certainly be backed by the crowd to do so.

01:33In terms of, sort of, anything newsy fitness-wise for this one, not much to bring, really.

01:38Obviously, Ryan Mason confirmed no fresh fitness concerns.

01:42That leaves, kind of, just the long-termers, really, in Dowell Dike, who the head coach spoke of at some length,

01:49after, you know, Dowell Dike posted a video on social media this week talking about how difficult it has been on the sidelines again.

01:55He actually called it embarrassing for him, having to be out again, and spoke from the heart, really.

02:00It was, yeah, Ryan Mason spoke in, he spoke about that, so that was some interesting stuff from the head coach.

02:05Dowell Dike and Tamar Bani, the two attackers, obviously one attacking midfielder, one striker, are out.

02:12I think after the international break, the upcoming one in September is the time frame there, in terms of their return.

02:18But, again, you know, I think temper expectations in terms of, we don't expect them to be back the first game after the break

02:24and straight in the team type thing.

02:27Elsewhere, the head coach spoke of Alex Mowat this week, obviously news of his one-year contract extension.

02:33And, you know, Mason spoke glowingly, really, of how highly he rates the midfield, on and off the pitch, actually,

02:38on the pitch in terms of being a footballer at this level and off the pitch with the voice, the leadership qualities he has.

02:44And that's why he was, you know, he was rewarded with another deal at the Hawthorns.

02:47So, yeah, a bit to unpack today.

02:50I'm trying to think what else we covered.

02:52Josh Madger was another, you know, obviously on his way back from a long, long absence.

03:00Came off the bench in the EFL Cup game I mentioned against Derby, didn't he, and looked good.

03:05And I think he's making progress all the time.

03:07Ryan Mason spoke at length about the importance of these three weeks, really, to train.

03:12Obviously, you know, there was that cup midweek exit.

03:15But they've had a few sort of, you know, since coming here back from Austria, really, weeks to really work.

03:21This has been one of them.

03:22Next week's one of them.

03:23And Ryan Mason, as a coach, as a head coach, is a big believer of that and the progress he can make there.

03:27So, hopefully, I'll be able to see further example of that on the pitch at the Hawthorns tomorrow against Portsmouth.

03:33You know, I don't necessarily think it'll be, you know, given that it's as easy a game as we all hope.

03:40Ryan one familiar face and name in the opposition ranks will be John Swift, won't he?

03:45And he started the season for his new club, Portsmouth, in a midfield two role, in a 4-2-3-1.

03:50And that's interesting, isn't it?

03:51Because it's sort of away from the attacking midfielder role that he has mostly played.

03:55So, we'll see how that goes tomorrow.

03:56We'll obviously bring all the coverage from the Hawthorns, as ever, on the Express and Star website.

04:01So, do follow.

04:02And, fingers crossed, the Albion can make it three from three tomorrow.

04:06And in doing so, the first time since the 1997-98 campaign, they'll start the season with three league wins.

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