James Morrison says he feels “honoured and privileged” to be named men’s first-team Head Coach and has vowed to always give the club’s supporters a team they can “be proud of”.
The 39-year-old was appointed on Thursday afternoon having led the Baggies to Sky Bet Championship safety thanks to a ten-match unbeaten run.
Morrison, who made 341 appearances and scored 39 goals for Albion during a 12-year playing career, takes his group to Sheffield Wednesday for the final game of the 2025/26 campaign on Saturday lunchtime (ko 12.30).
The boss insists he’s learned an incredible amount during his spells as interim head coach and says he can’t wait to work as hard as he possibly can to “make the club better” and push it forwards.
Mozza said: “It feels fantastic to be the Head Coach of West Bromwich Albion. I’ve been a little bit emotional over the last few days. It’s really kicked in.
“I feel so proud and privileged to have been given this opportunity. I’d like to thank the board for trusting me and giving me this chance to take the club forward.
“Anyone that knows me will know I like a challenge. Life gives you difference obstacles and challenges, and the one we’ve just come through certainly was a challenge. I stood up to that challenge, with the help of so many people, and I’m really glad we came through it.
“You’ve got to enjoy the challenges in life. You can take little positives from negative situations and turn them into bigger positives and that’s what I tried to do. It was a great challenge, and I’m going to enjoy working hard every day to make this club better.
“I’m honoured about the positivity this news has created. I’ll keep working as hard as I possibly can to maintain that positivity. I can’t thank the fans enough for the help and support they’ve offered. Without the fans, success doesn’t come. They’ve been a big part in helping us achieve our goal over the last two months.
“I only really thought seriously about becoming a head coach a couple of days ago. It wasn’t something that was on my mind because I was thrown into the position of leading the team two months ago.
“I quickly realised that I could do the job and I really enjoyed it. I’m 100 per cent ready for this opportunity. I’ve said all along that I’ve enjoyed being in this position, but I’ve been so focused on doing the job that was asked of me. I tried not to think too far ahead because I’ve been in this game long enough to know when you take your eye off the ball, it can come back to bite you, and I was conscious of that. I was fully focused on the job of leading the team in the right way over the last two months.
“The three spells I’ve had leading the team will have been a massive help in preparing me for what’s to come. I’ve had a unique experience and I’ve learned so much from it.
“I’ll take plenty of the principles that we’ve learned from this situation, such as hard work, belief and togetherness. We’ll set all those principles going forward. I’ve felt myself getting better and better and progressing each week that I’ve done this job.
“It's hard to put into words what this football club and this opportunity means to me. I’ve been brought into this family and I’ve been in it for 20 years now. To have the opportunity to lead is very special.
“I understand that my job is on the line now and I know there will be ups and downs and it can’t always be as positive as it has been over the last two months. However, I can guarantee right now that Albion fans will always see a team that they can be proud of, that there will always be togetherness and a fighting spirit and that we’ll always give it our all. The fans will be there for us and we’ll need them. Success without the fans is nothing.”
Morrison worked under a number of managers during his time as a player at The Hawthorns, and spent time with several more throughout his tenure as a coach in the academy and then in the first team.
He revealed he's picked up little tips from his previous gaffers and will use those going forward, but also stated how he'll back his own decisions and his own judgement in specific situations now he's taken on the main role.
Mozza added: “I’d be stupid not to lean on previous managers that I’ve worked with before and take bits away from how they managed and led teams and groups of players.
“I’ve learnt so much from so many of the managers I’ve either played under or worked under as a coach. We’ve had some really experienced managers at this football club and I remember plenty about how they ran things.
“Ultimately, I’ll make the decisions and I’ll always try and do what I feel is right for this club. I want to see a team which resembles a team that I like to watch, which is a team that is on the front foot and has an attacking style of play.
“I want us to stick to the principles that have served us so well over the last eight weeks, though – that hard work, working as a team, fighting for each other and having a great belief and togetherness.”
