Ex-Sunderland and Celtic boss Tony Mowbray outlines return-to-work timeframe after bowel cancer fight

Ex-Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Celtic boss Tony Mowbray is eager to return to the managerial arena after fighting bowel cancer.

Mowbray, who turns 61 later this month, was in charge of Birmingham City last season but had to step away from the club due to his health issues. The Blues eventually had to appoint a new manager with Mowbray’s recovery taking time.

However, the former West Brom and Coventry City manager is keen to return to work in the new year after revealing during a recent interview with the BBC that he was on the road to recovery following a a cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

“I hope I can stay fit and get back to work and do what I love,” Mowbray told the BBC. “I just love working with young footballers and trying to inspire them to want to get better and improve and be brave with the ball and play but we'll see what happens as I say.

“The new year is really in my mind when I start really thinking about what's out there. Is there going to be something out there? And it's almost sad football, isn't it because I would never chase anybody's job, I'd never go to a game where the manager's under pressure.

“But the sad thing about football is you have to win games, and some people will lose their jobs, and some people will win leagues, and I will wait until the new year when I hope that my body's back to almost 100 per cent and from there, let's see what's out there and see whether I can get back to work and do what I want to do.”

Mowbray added after returning to Sunderland for a talk-in: “I'm glad I could come back here. I've been to one match recently. That was before my stoma bag removal because, after that, the last six to seven weeks have been really tough um but I feel strong enough now as if I'm on the journey and as I say, hopefully, the new year I should be feeling strong enough to try and get back into the game”