Ryan Mason revealed there was “no doubt” in his mind that West Bromwich Albion was the perfect club for him in his first WBA TV interview.
The 33-year-old was appointed head coach earlier this week, agreeing a three-year contract.
Mason says it’s been a target of his to take on a management role for some time and insists the moment is “absolutely right” and incredibly “exciting”.
He said: “The history of the football club speaks for itself.
“The process over the last week or so has been great and I got a really good feeling from it. The time feels absolutely right for me personally to take an opportunity like this. I feel like Albion is a really good fit and I can’t wait to get started.
"My season at Spurs only finished in the last couple of weeks, so not that long ago. The process of coming here has gone really smoothly.
“I’ve spoken to the Chairman, Andrew Nestor, Ian Pearce and people on the board as well. There’s been a lot of dialogue and we’ve met in person. The feeling has just been good. You know when something feels right and that’s certainly been the case here.
A first visit to The Hawthorns as our new boss. 🏟️ pic.twitter.com/ySkCKkxRHc
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) June 4, 2025
“The last week, it’s run quite smoothly. There has been no doubt in my mind and I think it’s gone relatively quickly as well in terms of the season finishing not that long ago for me personally, so to get it wrapped up in the best part of a week, that’s relatively quick. I can’t wait to get started now.
“Obviously my playing career got cut short very early at the age of 25, so that probably accelerated the process of becoming a head coach. When you start coaching you have ambitions and you have goals and you start looking to the future, without taking your mind off the present.
“I had a great time at Tottenham in terms of my coaching career and I got exposed to many things. It finished on a really good note, but even before the end of this season, I felt the time was coming for me to branch out and look for opportunities elsewhere.
“Once the season finished, to have the opportunity to come to a club like this, not just with it’s recent history, but full history as well, it’s something that really excites me. I can’t wait to build a connection with the fans, get started and have a real good go at it.”
The new boss spoke in detail about the type of team he wants to create and how he intends to implement his style and vision.
Mason is determined for Albion to be a side that is “together in every moment” and says it’s crucial the players, the coaching staff, club staff and the supporters are all “connected”.
He added: “Hopefully my side will be a winning side. That’s the ambition and that’s the goal. Most importantly, I want us to be a team that is together in every moment.
“I think it’s really important to tap into the fans as well because the fan base here is incredible and it always has been. I felt that as a player whenever I competed at the stadium. We want to create a team that has a connection with the fans.
“Everyone needs to feel part of something and that’s the most important thing. Ultimately, we also want to try and win every game.
“It's a club that I just see as waiting. I’ve played against Albion in the Premier League and I’ve felt what they’re like and I’ve felt what the fans are like. I’ve felt what the football club is about.
“There’s a very long history here which goes back well before I was born. That’s not going to change, but hopefully we can create new history and be part of something special.
“I want to create a togetherness and hopefully we can create something that we can all remember.”
Harry Redknapp, Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Ange Postecoglou are just some of the high-profile managers Mason has either played for, or worked with.
Albion’s new head coach believes he would have been “silly” not to take parts of their leadership or thoughts about football away, but also stated how confident he is in his own ideas and how best to apply them.
Ryan said: “I can bring all of the experiences I’ve had at Spurs into this role. I’ve been coaching for the best part of seven-and-a-half years now, which is a long time.
“Like I said before, I’ve been exposed to quite a lot at a young age, but in terms of coaching experience, I feel like I’ve accumulated quite a lot in different circumstances.
“I definitely feel ready for the opportunity and have done for quite a long time now. It’s just been about picking a club that I feel like I can align myself with and take forward. It’s exciting and I really can’t wait to get started. There’s a lot of work and a lot of effort that’s going to go into it and hopefully we can bring success to the football club.
“I’d be silly not to take bits from all the people I have worked with, not only as a player but as a coach too. I’ve had exposure to some of the best managers in the world and I don’t take that for granted.
“I know myself as well and I know my core beliefs, whether that was when I was a player or now as a coach. I’ll add that to the multiple things I’ve taken from people I’ve worked under and I think that will definitely help me.
“Working under those managers has probably made me find myself a little more clearly and understand what I believe in and what I want to implement in my team. Like I say, taking on a role like this is something that I’ve felt ready for for a while now and the timing just feels absolutely right.”
