West Brom could hire “big” Will Still develop to replace Ramsay

West Bromwich Albion are in deep trouble this season. The Baggies are in the fight of their lives to avoid relegation from the Championship, having recently parted ways with Eric Ramsay following just nine appearances.

They are currently not in the bottom three points but are one point behind 22nd-placed Leicester City, with an abysmal goal difference of 18 compared to the Foxes’ -9.

Things certainly look fragile for the Midlands side, who need to sort out their next appointment.

But how does their run look with some important games remaining?

A look at West Brom’s survival comes in

It sounds like there is plenty of rest in March for West Brom. They have to pick up points to get away from Leicester, but it won’t be an easy task. The final three games see them host Southampton and Hull City, before a trip to Bristol City to end the month.

The Tigers currently hold a play-off spot, and the other two sides are within four points of the playoffs themselves, so they have huge motivation. It will certainly be a tough game for the Baggies.

April is not easy. There are plenty of games against promotion candidates, including Wrexham, Millwall and Ipswich Town.

Those three games are at the Hawthorns, where they are at their best, with six wins and six draws from 17 home games this season.

The most important game before the end of the season is Easter Monday’s trip to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rovers. The Lancastrian side are also in the relegation zone, which could be a crucial game in the fight for survival.

The final game of the season sees West Brom take on relegated Sheffield Wednesday, which is an ideal fixture if they need to avoid defeat. The Owls won just once all season.

Rumors are rife as to who will manage this crucial finale to the 2025/26 campaign.

West Brom could hire an alternative for Will Still

As you might expect, several names get thrown around when it comes to landing the right Ramsay.

Another person who may have caught the eye of the Baggies faithful is ex-manager Slaven Bilic, a man the Express and Star say there are ‘talks’ of bringing him back to the club.

His first spell at the club saw him secure promotion to the Championship in 2019/20, guiding West Brom to second place in the table. Bilic was sacked after a poor start to the Premier League season, winning just once in 13 top-flight games before his sacking.

Well, let’s take a look at that successful second phase campaign. He won 22 of 46 matches, drew 17 and tasted defeat only seven times.

Former Premier League midfielder Lee Hendrie has said he was “great” when he managed the club in the Championship.

One of the highlights of this season was how clinical Bilic’s side were in front of goal. The Baggies’ 77 goals were the joint-second most in the competition, bettered only by play-off hosts Brentford.

If the Croatian is offered the full-time job, he may be a better choice than another candidate, Will Still. The 33-year-old is out of action after being sacked by Southampton at the start of the season.

Despite impressing in Ligue 1, he has failed to adapt to English football, which could be a red flag for the Baggies when they are next appointed. He still has only four wins in 16 games at St Mary’s, perhaps highlighting his lack of experience.

Furthermore, the former West Brom boss prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation, compared to Still’s preference, which is a back three.

The Baggies are used to Bilic’s ideal formation this term, and while Ramsay is experimenting with playing a back three, playing too much can be a hindrance, and it’s definitely better to keep a back four.

It’s a risk West Brom can’t afford to take. Relegation is looming, so they may be relying on Bilic’s experience, who knows the club and has won the league, rather than the youth, to guide them to safety.

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