Tony Mowbray's brilliant reaction as ex-Sunderland boss returns to management with Blackburn Rovers
Former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray is back in management.
Former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has returned for a second spell as Blackburn Rovers head coach four years after leaving Ewood Park.
Mowbray replaces Michael O’Neill, who departed last month after opting not to continue alongside his job as Northern Ireland boss. During his first period in charge, between 2017 and 2022, the 62-year-old led Rovers back into the Championship.
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In between Mowbray, who is in recovery after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in February 2024, has managed Sunderland, Birmingham and West Brom, the latter sacking him in April last year.
Speaking to RoversTV, Mowbray said: “I’ve been back a few times in the past season to watch a few games and it feels like home, especially considering I spent a long time here - five-and-a-half years. That’s a long, long time in modern-day football, and we had some good times and felt like we’d built a half-decent team but couldn’t quite get over the line to reach our ambition of getting in the Premier League.
“It almost feels like I’m coming back to finish the job, because the aim of every team in the Championship is to try and get to the Premier League. I think you need the energy to do the job and my wife is so happy that this opportunity has come because I’ve been driving everybody mad in the house!
“I’m full of energy, but the highlight of my day has been going out and walking the dog! Football burns away in me. I can’t wait to get started and I’m looking forward to making new relationships and reinventing the old ones. I’m looking forward to meeting the players and I’m hoping they’re all full of energy and desperate to do well.
“I’m looking forward to it, I know the responsibility of being the Head Coach at a club like this and I am here to make people proud.”
Mowbray had stepped away from the professional game for a while following his diagnosis, leaving his post at Birmingham City in the process. Since then, the popular head coach has received the all-clear, and returned to the dugout with West Brom back in January last year.
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