Tony Mowbray confirmed as Middlesbrough manager
Middlesbrough have confirmed Tony Mowbray will replace Gordon Strachan as manager of the club.
The former Hibernian, West Bromwich Albion and Celtic boss is still regarded as a hero among the Boro faithful, following his nine-year spell at Ayresome Park between 1982-1991.
Mowbray, a boyhood Middlesbrough fan, was appointed captain of the club aged just 22-years-old, and now returns to football management with the Championship side after being sacked as Celtic boss in March this year.
Yesterday, it was revealed that Mowbray would be interviewed for the vacant position, along with Paul Ince, Phil Brown and Gary Megson.
But it’s the former Middlesbrough defender whose résumé impressed chairman Steve Gibson the most, and he will be formally unveiled at a press conference scheduled for 3:30pm BST this afternoon.
The 46-year-old is assigned the unenviable task of rescuing something from Boro’s dire start to the campaign. The club currently languish 22nd inside the second-tier, despite many pundits tipping the north-east club for promotion back to the Premier League this season.
Strachan’s summer signings - including the prolific former Rangers striker, Kris Boyd – all failed to shine under the old manager’s leadership. And it’s now down to Mowbray, who earned a reputation for getting his teams producing exciting, attack-minded football, to reverse the team’s fortunes.
After his ill-fated spell in the SPL with Celtic, Mowbray has a big point to prove on his return.
But judging by his previous achievements with West Brom, who he guided to the Premier League in 2008, and his relationship with the Teeside club, it appears a shrewd choice by Gibson.
"I've got an opportunity to steer us back to where we want to go and that is towards the Premier League," Mowbray told BBC Tees.
"Since I was six or seven I've been a Boro fan and once the opportunity arose and a few things were ironed out it didn't take long to make the decision," he added.
"There are some good players and characters at this club and we need to make sure we get them back on board and make sure they start enjoying winning and get the fans back through the turnstiles.
"We need to turn this big steamer around and start heading back to the sunshine."
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