Mowatt 'shocked' how good new boss Mason has been

Alex Mowatt has scored 13 goals in 121 league games for West Bromwich Albion since joining from Barnsley in July 2021

West Bromwich Albion midfielder Alex Mowatt says he is "shocked" how good new rookie head coach Ryan Mason is at getting his ideas across to the players.

Mason is getting to know his squad as they prepare for the new Championship season at their training camp in Austria.

The Baggies job is former Tottenham coach Mason's first full-time management role and Mowatt said the ex-England midfielder has been very impressive.

"It's shocked me how good he's been at getting his message across," Mowatt, 30, told BBC Radio WM.

"It helps massively. The training's been good and he's high on standards. It's been a good intensity and the gaffer drives that - which was what was needed."

Signed at the start of the 2021-22 season, Mowatt has experienced a host of managerial changes at The Hawthorns, with Mason the fifth permanent boss he has played under.

Last season saw the sudden end of Carlos Corberan's two-and-a-half-year stay with his departure to Valencia at Christmas before Tony Mowbray's return as his replacement lasted only three months.

Mowatt says working under different managers in a short space of time brings its challenges so requires a bit of adapting.

"You just roll with it - sometimes you go from one extreme to the other, which maybe happened last season," he added.

"Sometimes it's difficult to adapt to it but it's about finding the right balance.

"With Carlos you didn't speak to him much but with Ryan you can have a conversation with him and he'll speak to you after training and get feedback from the lads which all helps."

At 34, Mason is the second youngest head coach in the English Football League, with only Southampton's Will Still younger at 32.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, who turned 32 in February, is the youngest in the top four divisions in England.

And Mowatt says Mason's age is a positive thing.

"He's been at Spurs but he's just starting out [in management] and he's hungry to go far in the game and he has fresh ideas which helps," Mowatt said.

"I don't think the age thing really matters, when he's driving training like he does it doesn't make a difference. He's easy to talk to as well which helps me out."

The fact Mason played in the middle of the park is another helpful dimension for Mowatt, who was coached by another England midfielder, Michael Carrick, during a season-long loan at Middlesbrough in 2022-23.

"Yeah, he can help me massively," Mowatt added. "He sees the game from a midfielder's point of view and how they want to get on the ball. I'm excited to work with him.

"I worked with Carrick before as well and the little tips he gave me helped so much and you think of those when you go into a game."