West Brom next manager decision should be blindingly obvious if Ryan Mason gets sacked

West Brom took a gamble by turning to Ryan Mason over the summer as their replacement for Tony Mowbray. The 34-year-old, who hung up his boots back in 2016, was handed his first number one managerial role in the game by the Baggies. He left his position in the backroom staff team at Tottenham Hotspur to move to The Hawthorns.

The Midlands outfit find themselves down in 14th position in the Championship table after their first 14 fixtures. They have lacked consistency and need to hit some form after the international break. Four points separate them from the play-offs so they have plenty of time to turn things around.

West Brom should eye Alex Neil alternative

West Brom have been linked with a move for Millwall boss Alex Neil. However, they should steer clear of the Scotsman, who has recently penned a new deal with the Lions so will be expensive, and go for Michael Carrick instead. The 44-year-old is available and has been without a club since the end of last season.

Carrick, who made 34 caps for England, spent his playing days with West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. He made 706 appearances in all competitions and scored 34 goals. The North East-born man retired in 2018 and has since delved into the managerial world.

He got his first taste in the dugout at Old Trafford as caretaker manager back in 2021. The Red Devils had him on their coaching team under Jose Mourinho alongside Kieran McKenna, who is now at Ipswich Town. He later also worked with Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Middlesbrough swooped in for Carrick in October 2022 and they were 22nd in the division when he took over. He won a whopping 16 of his first 23 matches in charge of the Riverside Stadium club and inspired them rise up the league. They rose into the play-offs in his first year but were beaten at the semi-finals stage over two legs by Coventry City, who then lost to Luton Town on penalties in the final at Wembley.

Why Michael Carrick would suit West Brom as Ryan Mason replacement

Carrick has more experience than Mason and won 46.32% of matches with Middlesbrough. He knows how to win matches in the second tier and will feel he has a point to prove after his sacking in June. In addition, he played at the top level as a player and has worked with some of the game’s biggest names so will have learnt a lot.

The ex-midfielder guided Boro to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup in his second campaign at the helm for the first time since they won the competition back in 2004. They were beaten by Chelsea but he was later rewarded with a fresh three-year deal. Carrick’s men missed out on the top six in his last two terms which ultimately resulted in his exit.

Nevertheless, he should be considered a serious option for West Brom if they decide to cut ties with Mason. He knows the league inside out now and showed during his first season at Boro that he can lift a team who have been struggling for results. Carrick will be weighing up his options and will look to join a team who are the right fit for him. He can’t afford to wait too long though to avoid the risk of being forgotten about.