West Brom should consider ex-Barnsley manager to replace Tony Mowbray | OneFootball

As the managerial search goes on at West Bromwich Albion, one name worth serious consideration is Gerhard Struber, despite his recent Köln dismissal.

As the managerial search goes on at West Bromwich Albion, one name worth serious consideration is Gerhard Struber.

The Austrian was recently dismissed by 2. Bundesliga side FC Köln, despite the club being in contention for promotion with just two games remaining.

Mentality shift needed at Albion

Speaking as part of Football League World's Terrace Talk series earlier this week, West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess addressed potential mentality issues that need to be addressed heading into the 2025/26 campaign.

These issues within the squad saw Albion slip from the playoff positions in which they occupied for large parts of the season, to an eventual ninth-placed finish.

Speaking to Football League World, Callum said: “I think one issue that needs to be addressed this summer is we need to bring in players with a strong mentality, after the way that Albion’s season has been decimated in the second half of the season, when there's a perfectly good opportunity to make our way into the play-offs.”

“From being managed by Carlos Corberan, where he was very instructive and clear with players, what he wanted from them, he had them really well drilled. To go from that to Tony Mowbray, where it appeared that he was a lot more carefree and some players took advantage of that, you could probably say."

However, with the summer months approaching, Albion's search for Mowbray's successor continues.

A name to throw into the hat regarding the Hawthorns hotseat is ex-Barnsley head coach Gerhard Struber, who was recently sacked by 2. Bundesliga side FC Köln, despite the club being on the brink of promotion with two matches remaining.

Struber's Köln sacking does not tell the full story

On paper, Struber's exit from Köln might raise questions.

The club had led the 2. Bundesliga for seven matchdays and were firmly in the promotion race. However, a poor run of form seeing 13 points dropped in five matches, and a disappointing 1-1 draw against relegated Jahn Regensburg, saw Köln leapfrogged by Hamburg at the top of the league.

Yet, context matters. The 2024/25 2. Bundesliga season has been one of the most competitive in recent history, featuring many clubs of top-flight pedigree, including Schalke and Hamburg, most notably. Köln, the first-ever German champions, were under immense pressure to bounce back immediately after relegation.

Compounding the difficulty, Struber was working under a transfer ban and had lost key players Jeff Chabot, Davie Selke, and promising young talents Justin Diehl and Jonas Urbig to VfB Stuttgart and Bayern München, respectively.

Despite this, he kept the club in the promotion mix until a short-term dip cost him his job.

Struber's journey in England is a positive for Albion

Struber is no stranger to English football.

During his tenure at Barnsley in 2019/20, he masterminded a dramatic escape from relegation. Taking over with the club four points adrift in November, Struber rallied the squad and sealed survival with a stunning stoppage-time win against Brentford on the final day.

His work at Barnsley laid the foundations for Valérian Ismaël's playoff run in 2021, following Struber's departure for Red Bull New York in October 2020.

The championship table when Struber took charge at Barnsley (*Wigan Athletic 12 point deduction):

The final 19/20 Championship table (*Wigan Athletic 12 point deduction):

Moving forward for Albion

West Brom's failed experiment with Tony Mowbray, following the departure of Carlos Corberan, has left the club needing a fresh start. While Albion aren't in free fall as Köln were last summer, there is a clear requirement for a reset over the summer months to reestablish promotion ambitions.

Struber has experience rebuilding and galvanising squads, managing under pressure, and overperforming despite structural limitations.

His Championship know-how, combined with his recent efforts to stabilise a historic German club, make him a compelling option if the Baggies are serious about reinvigorating themselves over the coming months heading into next season.