‘Most important thing’: Ryan Mason outlines key factor he wants in his West Brom side after official head coach unveiling
Ryan Mason is keen to give West Brom an identity but he has insisted there is a factor bigger than style of play.
Mason was unveiled to the press on Wednesday afternoon – a month on from becoming one of West Brom’s youngest ever head coaches.
The new Baggies boss was alongside sporting director Andrew Nestor to face questions from journalists and broadcasters, having met his players last week at the start of pre-season.
The former Spurs number two discussed a range of topics, including why he decided to come to Albion having spent many years as a coach in North London.
Mason explained: “I felt for a while I have been ready. More importantly, an opportunity has come up that felt right with the type of club. It felt right speaking to Andrew and others, and it is an opportunity I am super excited about. I’m enjoying it already.
“We want to improve the club, the culture, identity of the team. We want to build something. It is an exciting time for me, and I hope the players and the staff feel that, and we want everyone pulling in the same direction.
“Pre-season is important you can implement what you expect. We’re in the early stages but time on the grass and in the meeting room is great.
“The early signs have been very positive.”
A host of questions Mason faced were around style of play and how his side may look come the start of the new Championship campaign.
He arrives at the club on the back of a season that saw Albion move from the structured and pragmatic approach of Carlos Corberan, to Tony Mowbray who endeavoured to play more free flowing football.
Unfortunately for Mowbray it did not quite go the way he had hoped and he was axed following a poor run of results.
When Mason was asked about how his side may set up, he says there is one overriding factor that comes into it.
He added: “As a coach you have idea of how a perfect team looks. The most important thing is building a team to win games. There are different ways to win games and we want a culture that just buys into winning.
“The players are the ones who execute that at the weekend to win a game of football.
“We want an environment to compete and be successful.”
