Ryan Mason says Tottenham Hotspur's glory night in Bilbao provided the ‘perfect ending’ to his career at the club - and convinced him it was time to move on.
West Brom’s new head coach said when the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy ended with victory over Manchester United in the Europa League that he knew it was time to strike out on his own.
Mason Worked Under Many Top Managers at Tottenham
Praises Postecoglou for Europa League win
Mason had worked under a number of bosses at the north London club - including Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Ange Postecoglou.
And, at his Hawthorns unveiling, Mason said that in time, the Aussie who lost his job in the wake of winning the trophy would be given far more credit for his achievement, despite Spurs’ 17th-placed finish in the Premier League.
He said: “I think Bilbao was probably confirmation. As a player, I lost a cup final and it hurt. And then also I managed in the cup final. I lost and that hurt, too.
“So to close that chapter with what we achieved was great, and it felt good - it felt good to finish the season that way and I knew after that my time had come to an end.
“It was the perfect ending to a chapter in my life at a club I care deeply about.
“I'd only signed a two-year contract and it was an incredible two years and I'm so grateful to him [Postecoglou] for giving me that opportunity to learn and continue to grow and be part of his team.”
Asked whether he was able to give West Brom any guarantee - to borrow a quote from his former boss Postecoglou - that he would win something in his second season, Mason said: “I'm not in a position currently to make a quote like that.
Obviously, Ange had an incredible career, absolutely incredible, and I think over time, people would probably start appreciating what was just achieved at that football club, and he was the figurehead.
“If I can get 20 years down the line and be able to say a quote like that, then I would have obviously had an extremely successful managerial career.”
Mason Stepping Into Volatile Manager Market
Believes West Brom is the right club for him
Mason is stepping into a vicious arena as far as managerial longevity is concerned.
Apart from two bosses who are entering the Championship this season from different pathways - Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna and Wrexham’s Phil Parkinson - John Mousinho at Portsmouth is the longest-serving boss in the second tier.
He was appointed in October 2023 - just 21 months ago.
They can be killing fields for aspiring bosses.
Asked if he had any hesitation about stepping into a position where the expectation level will again involve a push for the play-offs, Mason said: “I believe in the people that I'm working with I'm working for.
“That's the most important thing in any job - any situation you go into - if you don't believe in the people you're working with and working for, then you're already in a difficult place.
“So that's irrelevant to me, absolutely irrelevant.
“I’m here but I'm not thinking about that. I'm not thinking about the next five years.
“I know I'm here, it feels right. The relationship feels good.
“I'm sure it is going to grow and develop over time and it's my job to develop the football club and improve results on the pitch as well.”