Eric Ramsay interview: New West Brom boss on coaching at Man Utd, working in MLS and preparing for the Championship
Eric Ramsay discusses his whirlwind week since joining West Brom, his career so far at the likes of Man Utd and Minnesota United and preparing for the Championship. Watch West Brom vs Middlesbrough live on Sky Sports Football from 7.30pm on Friday night; kick-off 8pm.
Thursday 15 January 2026 17:13, UK
Things have moved very rapidly in Eric Ramsay's world in the last week or so.
The 34-year-old was enjoying his off-season from Minnesota United in early January, but now finds himself preparing to take charge of West Brom for the first time in the Championship on Friday night.
"It has been a whirlwind, but as I hoped it would be, it’s been a really exciting start," he tells Sky Sports.
"It’s a brilliant football club and I’ve had a really warm welcome from the existing staff and support staff.
"I wanted to walk into a club where I felt I could help do good things, and everything I’ve felt so far has given me that impression. It’s been as good a start as I could have hoped for."
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It is Ramsay's first senior head coach role in England, but he is by no means inexperienced on these shores.
He has coached at Swansea, his hometown club Shrewsbury Town and then joined Chelsea, where he coached the U23s and became the youngest British coach to achieve the UEFA Pro Licence back in 2019.
From there he joined Manchester United and worked under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick, Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag.
"No one hopes for that level of managerial churn," Ramsay says of his time at Old Trafford. "But as a young coach it gave me a unique opportunity to observe different approaches in a very demanding environment.
"I learned a huge amount from watching how different managers dealt with pressure, and that experience has served me well since.
"I feel very well prepared to work in the Championship. I've worked below this league in League One, above it in the Premier League and Champions League, and in elite youth development.
"On top of that, I've spent two years as a head coach in a very demanding league. All of that has given me a really solid footing.
"MLS is very competitive, very tight, and similar to the Championship in that every game feels winnable, or losable. Add in the travel, climate, and the fact it's the most multinational league in the world, and it becomes incredibly challenging.
"We had 21 nationalities in our squad, media in multiple languages, and it was also an amazing experience for my family. I took everything I could from those two years."
Sitting and talking with Ramsay, you don't feel like you're speaking to a 34-year-old head coach in just his second senior role. He is multilingual, speaking Spanish, French and Welsh among others.
"Age is just a number," he says. "I've spent almost 14 years as a professional coach and I've always been considered young in the roles I've had.
"It's never been something I've thought about. What matters is the depth of experience underneath it, and in some cases, being younger can be an advantage."
His confidence should help put to ease any worries that West Brom have gone with another boss ready to take his first real stab at leading a club. Ramsay, of course, replaces Ryan Mason, who himself is just two months older and was in his first permanent senior role with the Baggies.
This opportunity, Ramsay feels more than ready for.
"I think it's a natural step, given how my career has gone up to this point," he continues. "I wanted to make sure I was really well prepared for an opportunity like this, and I feel I've done the groundwork across my previous roles.
"Because of that, it feels very logical and natural relative to where my career has been."
Insightful would be an understatement when it comes to West Brom's new boss. But it won't be lost on him at all that results will shape his success at The Hawthorns.
He picks up a club labouring in 18th in the Championship table, an unacceptable position for the Baggies in this league.
But Ramsay already has a clear idea of his blueprint and philosophy going forward.
"Clarity and organisation is key," he says. "I want everyone to know exactly what's required of them, and I want the fans to know what to expect when they come to the stadium. You'll see a balance between control with and without the ball, and a team that looks connected.
"My focus is very much on the minute-to-minute and day-to-day. I don't want to dwell too much on the past or look too far ahead. If we create clarity, demand, and consistency in our work, then we'll get what we deserve."
Right now, it is hard to disagree with anything he says. Time will tell whether he can turn impressive words into results.
