West Brom sack head coach Eric Ramsay after only 44 days — west brom's horror reign

West Brom have sacked head coach Eric Ramsay after a 44-day spell that left the club in crisis. The west brom coach departs with a 0% win rate and a string of unwanted records.

Short 44-day tenure

Eric Ramsay, aged 34, was appointed head coach on a two-and-a-half-year deal on 11 January following the departure of Ryan Mason. He moved from MLS side Minnesota United to take the job and has been described in coverage as a former Manchester United coach who stepped up from Minnesota United. His time in charge lasted just 44 days.

Results and records

Ramsay failed to win any of his nine matches since his MLS move and failed to pick up a victory in any of his eight league games in the Championship. The Baggies picked up just four points under the 34-year-old, courtesy of four draws; across his Championship stint he drew four and lost four. His win percentage stood at 0%.

He also oversaw West Brom's heaviest home defeat in the second tier when they were hammered 5-0 by Norwich City, and the team were knocked out of the FA Cup after losing at Norwich. The brief spell set a new club record for the shortest permanent managerial reign in the club's history, surpassing the previous record of 17 games jointly held by Pepe Mel and Tony Mowbray.

West Brom boardroom meeting

After Tuesday night's 1-1 draw with Charlton Athletic, a match Ramsay had privately accepted was a must-win though he refused to say so publicly, the head coach and his assistant Dennis Lawrence were summoned into a boardroom meeting with chairman and owner Shilen Patel following Ramsay's media duties. The manager had been booed off by the crowd after the match.

Ramsay told the interviewer after the 1-1 draw that the performance "wasn't good enough" and said "what will be, will be". He also spoke more expansively about the run, saying: "We're not talking about this performance in isolation - we are adding this to multiple draws, not enough wins and not enough getting over the line so it has the feeling of a step backwards. I know what this situation needs at the moment - it needs wins, it doesn't need draws. The number of chances were enough to win the game but it wasn't good enough. "

The club issued a statement saying: "West Bromwich Albion have parted company with men's first-team head coach Eric Ramsay. Assistant head coach Dennis Lawrence has also departed the Hawthorns. First-team coach James Morrison will oversee first-team affairs on an interim basis. The club would like to place on record its thanks to Eric and Dennis and wishes them well for the future. "

Decisions, formations and responsibility

The Welshman accepted in his final interview that he was "not blameless". He had switched immediately to a 3-4-3 formation with players the report said were not equipped to play that way, a tactic he promptly ditched after another loss to Portsmouth. Observers also pointed to the players' failure to take chances; that failure has been linked to a second sacking of the season and the club's third managerial exit in less than a year.

James Morrison interim return

First-team coach James Morrison begins a third spell in interim charge in the space of less than 11 months. The former midfielder is unbeaten in the three games he has overseen. Morrison, speaking after a Swansea City FA Cup victory just hours before Ramsay's arrival six weeks ago, had said West Brom is "in his DNA". With 12 games to go he will do all he can to keep the club he loves in the Championship.

Owner to begin search for fourth head coach

Back at boardroom level, and just days before the second anniversary of his takeover of the club, Shilen Patel will begin the search for his fourth head coach. Questions have been raised about the hierarchy's decision to appoint a second young head coach in a row; commentators noted that what was described as a naive decision has left the club at risk of an unthinkable drop into the third tier for only the second time in their history.

West Brom sit 21st in the Championship, one point above the relegation zone, and face a run-in that will determine whether the club can avoid the drop. The departures of Eric Ramsay and Dennis Lawrence bring the club to an immediate interim phase under Morrison while the owner begins a recruitment process.