Inside West Brom training session in Austria as Ryan Mason calls shots

The morning session, which lasted roughly an-hour-and-a-half, was an ideal opportunity to get a feeling for Ryan Mason as a coach.

Albion's pre-season tour coverage is in association with BHP Design

Here is what we gleaned from Wednesday morning's session as the rainclouds traded for sunshine in eastern Austria.

Authority 

Mason stood back as assisted coaches Nigel Gibbs and Damia Abella led an opening sessions of short passing drills, but done so at tempo on the move.

The head coach stood back, assessing, next to his performance coach Sam Pooley, who is a new staff member. Mason was once again kitted out in his Baggies baseball cap.

'Albion's pre-season tour coverage is in association with BHP Design

But from there things cranked up. First of all the group split into attackers and midfielders/defenders. Mason joined the former and helped build attacks in a military-grade organised fashion.

He started moves from deep, with Isaac Price and Tammer Bany, the ball was worked wide to Tom Fellows, Jed Wallace, Karlan Grant or the returning Mikey Johnston - who has checked in after his failed move to Brazil - and crosses were converted. The width was a huge factor. It was all done to the tee. We will get more on formations in Friday's friendly.

As the session progressed, and altered slightly before it ended in a competitive seven-a-side tournament, Mason cut a figure of real authority.

When he spoke, he did so with real clarity and emphasis and players listened. It appeared the buy-in was absolute.

Youth

Away with the Baggies in Austria from the youth camp are goalkeeper duo Ben Cisse and Joe Wallis. Defenders Jamal Mohammed, Mo Diomande and Alex Williams trained, as did midfielders Cole Deeming, Kevin Mfuamba and Harry Whitwell and attacker Ollie Bostock.

They made up a group of 28 in the session. It was busy but the youngsters were a big part of it and clearly trusted by senior colleagues and staff.

Omissions

The three who did not train were strikers Josh Maja and Daryl Dike as well as defender Kyle Bartley.

The trio are notable omissions, but each are in a good place physically. Maja, recovering from a stress injury in his leg last season, completed sessions on Tuesday and is being managed in his full reintegration. Dike also has a tailored schedule and does not complete every session. The same can be said for Bartley.

There are no concerns about the fitness of either player. 

Winners

The session ended in a seven-a-side tournament and the winners were a youthful team led by senior trio Nat Phillips, the summer signings, Callum Styles and January recruit Bany.

Also making up the winners were youngsters Cisse, Diomande, Deeming and Bostock. Teenager Deeming, 18, a boyhood Baggie, scored a rocket in the final.

Caught the eye

A few of the attackers really impressed. Johnston, welcomed back by his team-mates after his failed move, and was sharp. He finished a couple of moves really well once blowing off the cobwebs.

European under-21 champion Fellows thrashed in a couple of excellent finishes with his 'weaker' left foot while Price gave yet another example of his undoubted class with several sharp moves and strikes.

The level of competitiveness is unquestionable in every form of competition players do. This was evidenced in the tournament. Jayson Molumby scored a phenomenal acrobatic volley, which was ruled out for offside, much to the frustration of some involved.