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Tony Mowbray - Boro Supporter View


ERIMUS1876 said:
Firstly, I feel a sense of recognition when "Hank Williams" asks me as a Boro supporter to pass on some views on this messageboard on Tony Mowbray. Such a request from the No.1 closet Boro supporter is the ultimate accolade! ;)

Down to business.

I saw Tony Mowbray make his Boro debut in 1982 (aged 18) at Sid James Park, go on to be our most inspirational captain (appointed aged 22) through arguably the most momentous period in the clubs history and in total saw around 80% of his 400+ home and away appearances for Boro. When he left Boro I followed his playing and later Managerial career which included a term at Boro.

He took over as Boro manager after the dual poor appointments of Southgate and Strachan. We were in a complete mess and heading for League One. He saved us from that fate and made genuine progress. The club didn't even have dossiers on individual players ... Mowbray brought his own with him to the club. I could mention numerous stories about his dedication and commitment to his managerial roles but won't bore you. He was left with a team of journeymen, young lads, has beens and never have beens. Several of these were Scottish players he had previously binned as Celtic manager who Strachan then brought to Boro! He made some quality signings on a shoestring budget and gave the supporters belief back. Most of the loyal Boro fans I know would have him back at the drop of a hat.

He has had a lifetime immersed in football and managed and played at the highest level in England and Scotland. As with all Managers hasn't always had it his own way but has steadied the ship with most clubs and also has gained promotions.

He has a positive track record of developing young players, playing a passing game and has a great eye for a player. Mowbray has a career record of 41% wins (Roy Keane achieved 42% at Sunderland as a comparison).

A North East lad who is astute, proud, genuine, honest and loyal. Mowbray also has very strong personal values and high levels of integrity. Don't underestimate any of these qualities.

He is well respected by many in the game.

What has surprised me is some of the vitriol I have read on this messageboard about him. Clearly not good enough for the vast majority of posters on here who have completely dismissed him as an option whilst some others have resorted to personal insults. Having known and worked with Sunderland supporters for many years, I'll be honest, I thought you were better than that.

Having had the likes of Simon Grayson, Chris Coleman, Phil Parkinson et al managing your club in recent times, someone like Mowbray should be given more consideration instead of being ridiculed.

Come to think of it the question should really be not does Sunderland need Tony Mowbray but does Tony Mowbray need Sunderland? He completed his full 5-years contract at his last club - Blackburn (not many managers do that these days - indeed Sunderland had 7 permanent managers during that time). He achieved promotion from League One in the process and in his last season had a young team challenging for promotion to the Premier League.

I suspect his reservations will be thinking that Sunderland is a club that in the last twenty years have had nearly as many permanent managers and in addition several owners including the current ones who are small-time, inexperienced, inflexible, don't value their manager and haven't invested much money. At least that is as it appears to an outsider.

Believe me Tony Mowbray would be a quality appointment for Sunderland (although it pains me to say that). It would be steady progress to achieve the clubs goals ... probably not quick enough for the twitterati and most posters on here but surely solid foundations, continuity and sustainability are key ingredients Sunderland have been lacking for years.

Tony Mowbray is your man.
Click to expand...
Nicely written. I guess it all comes down to budget for manager wages.
 
He’s not who I would chose. He is uninspiring, unsexy, doesn’t seem like one for the future and we will be changing again before long. BUT, take out the romanticism + emotion, and he is a very solid pair of Championship hands (a bit like AN to be fair), who as a good few have said, develops young players and plays a style similar to what we have been doing.

I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Van Hecke follow as he got player or the year playing for him at Blackburn.

Not a long term appointment in my view, but might just keep the lads going and surprise us. Top half finish should be the goal.

My biggest fear is losing Stewart this window at this stage.
 
admwil said:
He’s not who I would chose. He is uninspiring, unsexy, doesn’t seem like one for the future and we will be changing again before long. BUT, take out the romanticism + emotion, and he is a very solid pair of Championship hands (a bit like AN to be fair), who as a good few have said, develops young players and plays a style similar to what we have been doing.

I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Van Hecke follow as he got player or the year playing for him at Blackburn.

Not a long term appointment in my view, but might just keep the lads going and surprise us. Top half finish should be the goal.

My biggest fear is losing Stewart this window at this stage.
Click to expand...
I honestly thought the same about Neil when we hired him. I’m gutted he’s gone now.

I can’t say Mowbray would be the one I wanted to take charge of us, but given I thought the same about Neil, I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
 
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Brian Griffin said:
He’s not.

He has a 41% win rate.
Click to expand...
This.

Compared to AN he's got a very similar record.

Both did well with lower level sides in Scotland
Both have around an overall 40% win rate in the Championship (it's probably better but i'm not going through 1000+ games)
Both have had struggles in the top flight.
Both have promoted teams from L1.
Both have promoted teams from the Championship.

The only thing that TM has against him is that Celtic record.

Tbh if he can start this week & has been around the team for a few months already, why can't we appoint him? Surely not the Boro connection (not our rivals anyway ;))

Looking at his record, he seemed to like a 3412 at Blackburn, so he'd be a good fit from the off.
 
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One would hope that the majority of the personal abuse directed towards Mowbray on this thread is either from children, alcohol fuelled keyboard warriors, or those of a mental disposition, as no sensible adult would behave in such a way other than behind the anonymity of an internet message board .
 
viccarlton said:
One would hope that the majority of the personal abuse directed towards Mowbray on this thread is either from children, alcohol fuelled keyboard warriors, or those of a mental disposition, as no sensible adult would behave in such a way other than behind the anonymity of an internet message board .
Click to expand...
The actual personal abuse of him has been disgusting from posters who I thought knew better

i personally don’t want him
 
ERIMUS1876 said:
Firstly, I feel a sense of recognition when "Hank Williams" asks me as a Boro supporter to pass on some views on this messageboard on Tony Mowbray. Such a request from the No.1 closet Boro supporter is the ultimate accolade! ;)

Down to business.

I saw Tony Mowbray make his Boro debut in 1982 (aged 18) at Sid James Park, go on to be our most inspirational captain (appointed aged 22) through arguably the most momentous period in the clubs history and in total saw around 80% of his 400+ home and away appearances for Boro. When he left Boro I followed his playing and later Managerial career which included a term at Boro.

He took over as Boro manager after the dual poor appointments of Southgate and Strachan. We were in a complete mess and heading for League One. He saved us from that fate and made genuine progress. The club didn't even have dossiers on individual players ... Mowbray brought his own with him to the club. I could mention numerous stories about his dedication and commitment to his managerial roles but won't bore you. He was left with a team of journeymen, young lads, has beens and never have beens. Several of these were Scottish players he had previously binned as Celtic manager who Strachan then brought to Boro! He made some quality signings on a shoestring budget and gave the supporters belief back. Most of the loyal Boro fans I know would have him back at the drop of a hat.

He has had a lifetime immersed in football and managed and played at the highest level in England and Scotland. As with all Managers hasn't always had it his own way but has steadied the ship with most clubs and also has gained promotions.

He has a positive track record of developing young players, playing a passing game and has a great eye for a player. Mowbray has a career record of 41% wins (Roy Keane achieved 42% at Sunderland as a comparison).

A North East lad who is astute, proud, genuine, honest and loyal. Mowbray also has very strong personal values and high levels of integrity. Don't underestimate any of these qualities.

He is well respected by many in the game.

What has surprised me is some of the vitriol I have read on this messageboard about him. Clearly not good enough for the vast majority of posters on here who have completely dismissed him as an option whilst some others have resorted to personal insults. Having known and worked with Sunderland supporters for many years, I'll be honest, I thought you were better than that.

Having had the likes of Simon Grayson, Chris Coleman, Phil Parkinson et al managing your club in recent times, someone like Mowbray should be given more consideration instead of being ridiculed.

Come to think of it the question should really be not does Sunderland need Tony Mowbray but does Tony Mowbray need Sunderland? He completed his full 5-years contract at his last club - Blackburn (not many managers do that these days - indeed Sunderland had 7 permanent managers during that time). He achieved promotion from League One in the process and in his last season had a young team challenging for promotion to the Premier League.

I suspect his reservations will be thinking that Sunderland is a club that in the last twenty years have had nearly as many permanent managers and in addition several owners including the current ones who are small-time, inexperienced, inflexible, don't value their manager and haven't invested much money. At least that is as it appears to an outsider.

Believe me Tony Mowbray would be a quality appointment for Sunderland (although it pains me to say that). It would be steady progress to achieve the clubs goals ... probably not quick enough for the twitterati and most posters on here but surely solid foundations, continuity and sustainability are key ingredients Sunderland have been lacking for years.

Tony Mowbray is your man.
Click to expand...
Thanks for taking time out to post this.....I for one is not overwhelmed about the appointment but I understand what you are saying and will take what you said on board.

At least we have a manager in place for the Transfer deadline and in a position to take our next game. It is not Tony's fault that we have been dropped in it. I believe we should give him a chance.........Alex Neil will go down as the most hated manager/player in our history.......if what you say Tony has integrity then thats more than Alex has ever shown
 
If there’s personal abuse going on, that is a disgrace from our fans involved. I really don’t think he’s a good fit for us, and will probably bin my DD if he’s appointed, but there’s no need for him receiving abuse over this.

He just stinks of one of those big standard managerial merry go round appointments with no positive thinking behind it at all to me. Very much in the same category as when we appointed Bruce, Parkinson, Grayson, moyes, Coleman, etc.. it is so uninspiring it’s rather sad considering how last week I genuinely thought we had an outside chance at a run at automatics, and a good shot at the playoff positions.

This just smells to me like the club accepting a rather boring 12th position finish and accepting their lot as a bang average championship side with no ambition.

I honestly think we are better than that. Our squad is very good for this level, we’ve got the best striker in the league which is worth its weight in gold at this level and I don’t see any reason why we couldn’t be optimistic about a playoff finish, with the right ambitious and positive appointment.
 
Sea to Shining Sea said:
65%. A significantly higher win rate. That’s an extra two games won out of ten.

Mowbray has a mediocre record as manager. He’s done nothing of any note and at 58 doesn’t really represent a future investment. If he’s appointed it’s unambitious, unimaginative rubbish. If a local, cheap and readily available option is the best Speakman and his data crunching bods can come up with then we’re being sold a complete fantasy here
Click to expand...
Aye.
Thisll prove their much heralded adoption of data crunching modern methods to be lies. If they’re lying about this then what else are they lying about?

Do they seriously think that anyone except the thickest safc fan will believe that out of thousands of potential safc head coaches on this planet the best candidate just happens to be an unemployed ex mate of the head of recruitment from 30 miles down the road? Buxtonesque is what it is.
There’s no point whatsoever in adopting a money ball type data crunching player recruitment policy if the person those players are handed over to is plucked from the head of recruitments Xmas card list.

Dont believe SAFCs lies.
 
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ERIMUS1876 said:
Firstly, I feel a sense of recognition when "Hank Williams" asks me as a Boro supporter to pass on some views on this messageboard on Tony Mowbray. Such a request from the No.1 closet Boro supporter is the ultimate accolade! ;)

Down to business.

I saw Tony Mowbray make his Boro debut in 1982 (aged 18) at Sid James Park, go on to be our most inspirational captain (appointed aged 22) through arguably the most momentous period in the clubs history and in total saw around 80% of his 400+ home and away appearances for Boro. When he left Boro I followed his playing and later Managerial career which included a term at Boro.

He took over as Boro manager after the dual poor appointments of Southgate and Strachan. We were in a complete mess and heading for League One. He saved us from that fate and made genuine progress. The club didn't even have dossiers on individual players ... Mowbray brought his own with him to the club. I could mention numerous stories about his dedication and commitment to his managerial roles but won't bore you. He was left with a team of journeymen, young lads, has beens and never have beens. Several of these were Scottish players he had previously binned as Celtic manager who Strachan then brought to Boro! He made some quality signings on a shoestring budget and gave the supporters belief back. Most of the loyal Boro fans I know would have him back at the drop of a hat.

He has had a lifetime immersed in football and managed and played at the highest level in England and Scotland. As with all Managers hasn't always had it his own way but has steadied the ship with most clubs and also has gained promotions.

He has a positive track record of developing young players, playing a passing game and has a great eye for a player. Mowbray has a career record of 41% wins (Roy Keane achieved 42% at Sunderland as a comparison).

A North East lad who is astute, proud, genuine, honest and loyal. Mowbray also has very strong personal values and high levels of integrity. Don't underestimate any of these qualities.

He is well respected by many in the game.

What has surprised me is some of the vitriol I have read on this messageboard about him. Clearly not good enough for the vast majority of posters on here who have completely dismissed him as an option whilst some others have resorted to personal insults. Having known and worked with Sunderland supporters for many years, I'll be honest, I thought you were better than that.

Having had the likes of Simon Grayson, Chris Coleman, Phil Parkinson et al managing your club in recent times, someone like Mowbray should be given more consideration instead of being ridiculed.

Come to think of it the question should really be not does Sunderland need Tony Mowbray but does Tony Mowbray need Sunderland? He completed his full 5-years contract at his last club - Blackburn (not many managers do that these days - indeed Sunderland had 7 permanent managers during that time). He achieved promotion from League One in the process and in his last season had a young team challenging for promotion to the Premier League.

I suspect his reservations will be thinking that Sunderland is a club that in the last twenty years have had nearly as many permanent managers and in addition several owners including the current ones who are small-time, inexperienced, inflexible, don't value their manager and haven't invested much money. At least that is as it appears to an outsider.

Believe me Tony Mowbray would be a quality appointment for Sunderland (although it pains me to say that). It would be steady progress to achieve the clubs goals ... probably not quick enough for the twitterati and most posters on here but surely solid foundations, continuity and sustainability are key ingredients Sunderland have been lacking for years.

Tony Mowbray is your man.
Click to expand...
It's not even a Boro thing as they don't bother me in terms of being a rival. I've always had this thought, probably based on his time at WBA that he had a dislike of SAFC.
 
WHD said:
We've just spent 4 seasons in league one, what exactly are your aspirations for this season?

Tbh, your comment is mag-esque.
Click to expand...
What does that even mean ? Settle for mediocrity and a pretence at sustainability? They haven’t got a 21’s manager , academy lead or the ability to sell shirts or tickets and have lost potentially the best manager because of salary . Then within 24 hours we are appointing a manager who in four seasons at Blackburn was more likely to finish bottom half than top and failed to keep them up in his first season . We were told KS had a succession plan and we were looking really wide and we end up with someone who wouldn’t get another championship job . That’s not like being a mag mate
 
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