Eric Ramsay and Wilfried Nancy’s post-MLS failures were born of context, not competence

MLS coaches' reputation abroad won't get any better after two disastrous appointments by desperate clubs

The shipment of Eric Ramsay's possessions must have hardly made it to the West Midlands in time. After leaving Minnesota United this MLS offseason, his era in charge of West Bromwich Albion lasted just 44 days, during which time the Baggies played nine games, and won none. The club couldn't afford to be patient; not while perched just one point above the drop zone in the Championship. Ramsay was sacked on Tuesday.

In one sense, this is business as usual in the English system's second tier. Ramsay is the 11th coach to be sacked, to resign, or part by mutual consent since the 2025-26 season commenced, and the league's 12th mid-season change when counting Rob Edwards' move to Wolves. One level below, League One has seen nine such changes; League Two has undergone seven. As Ramsay himself said a year ago: getting managers sacked is a bit of a national sport."