Ex-Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray 'resumes talks' with Championship rivals, both parties 'optimistic'
Tony Mowbray is understood to be in talks with West Brom over their vacant managerial position.
West Brom have “resumed talks” with former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray about their vacant managerial post, according to reports.
The 61-year-old has been out of work since stepping away from the professional game last year following a bowel cancer diagnosis, but is understood to be ready for a return to the dugout. His most recent role was with Birmingham City. Mowbray previously spent a three-year stint with West Brom between 2006 and 2009, during which he guided the Baggies to a Championship title and an FA Cup semi-final. And according to the Express and Star, he could now be in line to enjoy a second stint at The Hawthorns.
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It is understood that following positive talks between the two parties last week, West Brom had initially decided to go in a different direction, with Swiss coach Raphael Wicky emerging as the front runner to replace Carlos Coberan, who left for Valencia in December. Negotiations with Wicky fell through at an advanced stage, however, due to issues surrounding his backroom staff, and as such, Albion have been forced to reassess their options.
To that end, talks with Mowbray are said to have resumed on Thursday afternoon, with both sides reportedly “optimistic” that an agreement can be reached. The Express and Star go on to suggest that if a deal can be done in the coming hours, it is unclear whether the ex-Black Cats boss will be in the dugout for West Brom’s home clash with Stoke City on Saturday.
Earlier this week, Mowbray gave an interview with Bernie Slaven, during which he reflected on his departure from Sunderland. He said: “I think it came as a surprise to me. I think things have just become a little bit strained. I need to say this, it is an amazing club. The supporters have been amazing to me. Considering I spent so much of my career playing for Middlesbrough, the people of Sunderland have been very, very supportive. They've really enjoyed the football. To lose my job, I don't think it was about results, because I think we were seventh.
“I think we were on the same points we were in the year we made the play-offs. This was only a year and a half after coming out to League One, so the team were doing pretty well. As I sit there now, it's no surprise to me that they're sitting fourth at the moment in the table, because I met Régis. He's the new coach here. He's quite a calm guy. He's quite empathetic to the footballers, I think. When I met him, I felt as if he was a steady Eddie, really. I think that's what them young, talented players at Sunderland needed.
“For me, it was more a relationship issue, I think. The owner was buying a lot of young French players at the time. He'll [Louis-Dreyfus] be under 30 I would imagine now. He's around 30 years old. His father owned football clubs like Marseille, I think. Generally, I got on fine with everybody, but I think when you've been a football manager for 20 years, in the olden days when you were the manager, you ran the club almost from top to bottom, because you always respected the owners and the chairman and the CEOs of football clubs, but you didn't have sporting directors and people in between, and layers, really.”