West Bromwich Albion has 39 days until its 2025-26 season opener and for American forward Daryl Dike, he’s ready to hit the ground running under new boss Ryan Mason.
Dike has already begun preseason camp in England with the new league campaign less than six weeks away. The former Orlando City and Barnsley man recovered from surgery on his Achilles to make 11 appearances over the final three months of last season.
Dike scored in the Baggies’ season finale 5-3 victory over then-relegated Luton Town, giving the American his first club goal since January 2024. West Brom will surely have high aspirations to be part of the promotion picture this season and Dike is pleased with the positive work already this summer from the squad.
“As a player we obviously keep training when we’re away for the summer, but when you’re back out here and you’re running, it doesn’t really compare. You can definitely feel the time off,” Dike said in a club interview. “The first week back has been really good. It’s been good, first and foremost, to be back around the training ground and to see a lot of the guys we haven’t seen in a long time.
“Then of course we have a new coaching staff, so we’ve been getting to know them and their tactics,” he added. “We’ve also been getting involved in lots of sessions too so it’s been nice. I’m happy with where I’m at and how I ended last term. I’m happy I could show myself and show everyone I can still do these kinds of things.”
Dike will work under the 34-year-old Mason in what will be the former player’s first permanent managerial position. Mason, whose playing career was cut short due to multiple head injuries, is the youngest manager in the English Championship.
Unlike Dike’s former managers Steve Bruce, Carlos Corberan, and Tony Mowbray, who all have ample years of experience, Mason is stepping into a large role at a young age. Dike isn’t doubting his manager’s abilities, believing that Mason’s hiring could be crucial in the club’s quest for a successful season.
“Ryan Mason has been great, honestly,” Dike said. “I know coming into a new environment can be very difficult, but he’s been great. He’s obviously a good leader and a good person. You can tell automatically that he expects us to work hard in every single session. That’s one of his things, pushing players to develop positive and good habits.
“Tactically, he’s obviously a very good guy,” Dike added. “You can see that he always likes to be involved whether it’s meetings or during a session. No matter what, he’s very precise. I think having a gaffer like that is very, very important for us.”
West Brom will open the new season on August 9 against Blackburn Rovers.
Hopefully he can stay healthy.
He is out of Achilles’ (Achilleses?) to rupture. . so hopefully yes, without making too much fun of a terrible injury.
Dike has to be looking at Agyemang and thinking he’s got a chance to make the WC roster.
i had a similar thought. however (a) can he stay healthy, (b) can he not look like a nervous wreck in the US shirt, and (c) what is his utility with the US. i think he’s better back to goal but with the exception of this tournament we have struggled to find the 9. and agyemang offers a unique wrinkle as someone you can play into space for speed but who can also use his body decently.
i am sure a snob element will say dike is c’ship and agyemang isn’t, but that is always a lagging argument. there are agyemang to derby/ipswich rumors as we speak. if you evaluate players on talent and performance the club snob arguments tend to self-correct over time. the guy being dissed as MLS is in england or holland next year. the guy being praised as european can’t get any time and signs in a lower league or MLS.
also, for all agyemang’s sloppiness, he has 5 goals in the same amount of caps dike got 3. people forget dike was kind of nervy himself.
but anyhow, the thorough way to resolve such things is you call them in for a window together and sort it on the field. emphasis ON THE FIELD. not on paper. not in practice. you split their time a game or two and decide who impressed you more. my impression our idea of who to start is routinely skewed which suggests too much emphasis on tape or practice.
I don’t think you’re going to get that direct competition. There’s only 8 matches before Poch is going to have his roster pretty much set. And he really hasn’t gotten to work with Pepi and Balo yet. Dike will have to have a great start to the season to even get into the conversation. Balo, Pepi, and Agyemang have all burst onto the seen since his last significant time with the Nats. That Poch seems to like someone with a similar profile has to bring him some hope. But we know there are bound to be injuries, bad club move decisions, etc… that will effect the roster in the next 10 months.
JR,
I wonder how this tournament would have looked if Haji has not gotten hurt?
JR,
Never mind Daryl.
Patrick’s obvious replacement/competition in the big target guy category is D Downs. Who I thought had potential. If he gets some more playing time with Koln who knows how sharp he can get? He was the only one whose penalty Keylor had zero chance at saving.
And Haji looked pretty slick in the few minutes he did have.
It looks like Pochettino may have quite a hard time choosing for the striker position; a good problem to have.