Ex-Sunderland and Middlesbrough head coach Tony Mowbray named favourite for Championship job

Former Sunderland and Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray has reportedly emerged as the new front-runner for the vacant Cardiff City job.

The 60-year-old was forced to step away from his most recent role with Birmingham City in February, and has been absent from the dugout ever since. Mowbray officially resigned from his role in the Midlands in May.

The ex-Sunderland head coach had hoped to return to the dugout at St Andrew’s to lead their push for an immediate return to the Championship but explained last summer that his recovery meant he would not be able to lead the club’s preparations for the 2024-25 season.

However, Mowbray has now been named as the frontrunner for the vacant Cardiff City job by Wales Online with the Championship club currently without a manager. Omer Riza and Ryan Lowe are also reportedly in the running.

Mowbray recently spoke of his desire to get back to work in the near future. Speaking to Birmingham’s media team, he said: “I’m great, I don’t think that’s overplaying it. I feel almost back to normal. I’ve still got one procedure, I’ve got a stoma bag attached to my stomach that needs reversing, which I’m getting done this week. Energy levels I feel are back to normal. I can tell because I’m sometimes a self-talker and I’ll say, ‘Shut up, you talk too much!’. I feel good. 

“It’s brilliant to be back here, just walking through the car park and seeing all the Blues fans was amazing and I had a fantastic reception. I’ve been to Middlesbrough, I’ve been to Sunderland, the local clubs to where I live in the North East. I’ve been to Newcastle as well. The football world has been amazing, to be honest, the feedback I’ve had and the get-well messages from all over the country have been amazing.” 

The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.

He added: “Every football club I’ve ever been at has been supportive, they’ve all invited me to come and watch some games. I feel as if I’m almost ready, I want to go back to work sometime soon, in the next few months.  I appreciate I’m still a bit weak and to be a football manager you need energy, you need to be at it all the time. I need to give myself a few months, probably playing golf and walking 18 holes. I’ve got three teenage boys who all play golf.”

Mowbray also took the time to attribute his recovery to the care he has received from his wife, and admitted that before anything else he plans on enjoying a holiday with her. He said: “I’m going to take my Florence Nightingale wife away, she’s been amazing over recent months for me, the work and the help and the travelling that she’s done. We’ll go on a nice holiday somewhere and just spend some time together. And after that, I hope to get back to work and do what makes me tick.”