51-y/o German emerges as West Brom manager contender despite Marti Cifuentes talks | OneFootball

It has been reported that West Bromwich Albion are admirers of St Pauli boss Alexander Blessin to replace Tony Mowbray.

In another twist in West Bromwich Albion’s search for a new manager, it has been reported that St. Pauli boss Alexander Blessin is a contender for the post at The Hawthorns.

It had been reported that the representatives Queens Park Rangers’ reportedly wantaway coach Marti Cifuentes had been in discussions with a fellow Championship club over potentially becoming their new manager, with that club revealed to be the Baggies - as first claimed by Dharmesh Sheth.

However, fellow reporter Darren Witcoop has also suggested that the Baggies will also be considering Blessin, with the German coach reportedly having admirers among the powers-that-be at the Midlands outfit.

St. Pauli boss Alexander Blessin could be a West Brom managerial target

Blessin is currently in charge of a St. Pauli side that were promoted to the Bundesliga for just the second time ever last year under the management of now Brighton & Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler.

The 51-year-old has overseen an impressive campaign in the top-flight by the Hamburg-based outfit as they sit six points clear of the bottom three and the danger zone with just three games of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season to go.

Tony Mowbray was sacked by Albion last week as they drifted away from the top six and the play-off places in the Championship and it appears that the West Brom hierarchy are casting their net far and wide in the hunt for his successor.

Following the departure of Mowbray last week, who had replaced Carlos Corberan mid-way through the campaign as the Spaniard departed West Bromwich for La Liga giants Valencia, several names were immediately linked with the Baggies job.

The most prominent of which was Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach Ryan Mason, who, according to Alan Nixon via his Patreon, had been earmarked as the hierarchy’s first-choice pick.

As well as Mason, Liam Rosenior had emerged as a contender but the former Hull City boss has now signed a new contract with Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

Their attention has now appeared to turn to QPR boss Cifuentes with talks having reportedly taken place with his agents, whilst Blessin also now appears to be somewhat of a contender.

West Brom have missed out on a top six finish this season after being losing Championship play-off semi-finalists last year. They finish their campaign with a game against relegation-battling Luton Town at The Hawthorns next weekend.

Alexander Blessin possesses a decent wealth of experience amid West Brom links

As West Brom seemingly look for a foreign manager, Blessin is a coach built in the modern era of coaching principles, with his development as a manager coming within the Red Bull organisation in charge of RB Leipzig’s U17’s between 2012 and 2018 before moving on to their U19 side for the next two seasons.

His reputation as a coach at a higher level was forged in Belgium at Oostende and after two seasons with them he moved on to Genoa in Serie B, but departed them mid-way through the 2022/23 season as they sat in mid-table before Genoa then gained promotion back to the top-flight under the management of Alberto Gilardino.

Genoa, though, with 777 Partners at the helm, have been a bit of a basket case of a club for want of a better phrase and a steadier environment back in Belgium with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise - an affiliate club of Brighton & Hove Albion - saw him become a more sought after coach, helping them win the Belgian Cup whilst also narrowly missing out on the league title.

Since returning to one of Europe’s ‘big five leagues’ with St Pauli, he has continued to strengthen his coaching credentials and a first move to England appears something that may well be an inevitability at this stage.