Tony Mowbray speaks for the first time on becoming new Birmingham City manager

Tony Mowbray speaks for the first time on becoming the new manager of Birmingham City, coming in as successor to Wayne Rooney.

Rooney felt unfairly sacked after a poor run of form dropped the club from 6th place in the Championship table when he first took over, to 20th position. He also only managed two wins in 15 games, and was sacked after only 86 days in charge.

Mowbray is now tasked with trying to get the team inspired again, and soon reach the same heights as his Sunderland side that finished 6th for the 2022/23 season.

It’s #MowbrayMonday. 🔵⚪️

We are delighted to announce Tony Mowbray as the new Men’s First Team Manager.

— Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) January 8, 2024

CLUB STATEMENT:

Birmingham City is delighted to announce Tony Mowbray as the new Men’s First Team Manager.
He was the standout candidate in a rigorous process to identify the right manager and leader to take the Club forward. Mowbray has agreed terms on a two-and-a-half-year contract and will take training for the first time at the Birmingham City Elite Performance and Innovation Centre this morning.

The vastly experienced Englishman was most recently in charge of Sky Bet Championship counterparts Sunderland. On Wearside, he moulded the division’s youngest squad into a highly effective and eye-catching outfit, leading the Black Cats to the play-offs in May 2023 after just over eight months as Head Coach.

Previously, he guided Blackburn Rovers to promotion from Sky Bet League One in 2018 before stabilising them in the second tier and taking them to an eighth-place finish in his final season at the helm.

Notably, the 60-year-old won the division with West Bromwich Albion 14 years ago, during a campaign that included taking Baggies to a first FA Cup Semi-Final since 1982.

Mowbray’s managerial portfolio also includes time at Hibernian, Celtic, Middlesbrough and Coventry City.

He will be joined by his long-time assistant Mark Venus who joins in the position of Assistant Manager.

Birmingham City Co-Owner and Chairman of the Board, Tom Wagner, said: “Tony was the standout candidate in our search for a new Manager. His knowledge of and passion for the game shone through. He shares our ambition and will bring stability at an important time for our great club. We received extremely positive feedback from everyone we spoke to about Tony. I am looking forward to seeing him working with the team and he will get the support needed to bring success to the Club.”

Birmingham City Chief Executive Officer, Garry Cook, added: “We are delighted to welcome Tony Mowbray to Birmingham City. Tony is a widely respected figure in the game and brings a wealth of Championship experience. He knows what it takes to be successful at this level. Tony has rightfully earned a reputation as a manager who delivers results, likes to play attractive football, and gives young players a chance. He is the right leader at the right time for our club and I know that our supporters will be right behind him and the team.”

Upon his appointment, the new Blues boss commented: “I am excited to be joining Birmingham City at this time. I can’t wait to get back on the training pitch and start working with this talented group of players. My focus is on building their confidence, delivering results, and giving Blues’ fans a team they can be excited by and proud of. I know from personal experience how passionate Bluenoses are, home and away, and I’m looking forward to having their full support for the team starting on Saturday at home to Swansea City.

Tony added: “Tom Wagner and Garry Cook have outlined the ambition for the Club. I can’t wait to get started and play my role in helping to make it a reality.”

Welcome to Blues, Tony!

This is what fans had to say as Tony Mowbray speaks for the first time on becoming the new Birmingham City manager…

@NorthBSHA: Great move, big game Saturday now

@mickyh01: Comes to something when you have to click on the header just to make sure this is legit 🤣🤣 absolutely chuffed, perfect guy at the right time..welcome boss #kro

@PDiddyroo: He’s a wonderful bloke and a good manager. Really, really solid appointment for you guys. I think he really overachieved at SAFC. Most of us were sad to see him go. He’ll turn BCFC around in no time.

@ReganMayo7: “My focus is on building their confidence, delivering results, and giving Blues’ fans a team they can be excited by and proud of.” I love him already, what a man 😭

@zdpj_: Great appointment Blues. Shows that Steve Cooper was a smokescreen to get this done.

@_Gats_: Superb! A great start to the week. A proper manager to get us back on the rise.

@DeanHudson6: Great guy and top manager!! Gutted he’s not Sunderland manager still, good luck to Tony and Birmingham

@bexbrfc: Solid appointment to help stabilise the mess you have got yourselves into. All the best Tony 🔵⚪

@KDazman:
Ohh Ohh The Tony Mowbray
Ohh Ohh The Tony Mowbray
Ohh Ohh The Tony Mowbray
Knees bend, Arm stretch,
Keep Right On!!!🤣
💙 #BCFC
Superb appointment 😍

@Mommyrachael123: Can’t wait to see the next chapter unfold now 💙

@PawelczykStuart: Welcome Tony. Genuinely buzzing to have a sensible manager and top bloke in charge. I’ve a great feeling about this appointment. Up The Blues 💙 KRO

@Rozzakro: Great appointment, finally got something right. Let’s back him now and kick on for the rest of season. Kro

@1lee18750: Had to force myself to get behind Rooney, not this time, solid recruitment from blues this time

@CornwallMackem: Hope he absolutely smashes it and they give him all the revels he deserves! #BCFC

@JackHughes_97: This definitely feels like the right appointment this time, I hope he can hit the ground running 🙏🏻🔵⚪️ #bcfc

@Hayelarious: Absolutely buzzing with this appointment. He will bring stability and gradual progression. It’s the perfect fit 👏🏻 #BCFC

@BluesAnalytics_: I always think it’s a half decent measuring stick of a manager when you read comments from fans of clubs he’s managed at. Not even exaggerating when I say that I genuinely don’t think I’ve read a single negative comment about Tony Mowbray from fans of his ex clubs. #bcfc

@antbcfc4812: Let’s have a big and noisy crowd on Saturday now, the season restarts #BCFC

@OliverKeene1: Great appointment. Seen nothing but positive things from fans of his previous clubs and brings lots of experience. Now let’s show him our support KRO 💙 #BCFC

@CallumInsull: Great appointment. If there’s one person perfect for the job it’s him. Got to kick on now, excited to see Blues fans get behind Mowbray. KRO. #BCFC

@LeeAHinton95: Very very happy with this. Stabilises us and will move us forward. Puts that shambolic 83 days under Rooney behind us! Super Tony Mowbray in charge! 🎵 #BCFC 🔵⚪️

@daz_atkinson: Let’s hope we can fill the ground against Swansea and show how much we are behind him! Up the Mowbray! #BCFC #KRO

@MAD_BCFC_90: Tony mowbray’s blue and white army! We all need to get behind him and really push on this season #bcfc

@_PeterBCFC: What a Monday morning. Up the Tony Mowbray. If we’d have got him in after Eustace went (in a purely hypothetical world) I’d have seen it as an upgrade and good decision. Let’s stabilise now and look forwards to next season #bcfc

@BluenoseRoyal: Good thing about this appointment,Mowbray will steady the ship, get the players back to enjoying their football, get us back up the table and he will leave Blues in a good place #BCFC

@AccW21: Absolutely delighted with that! Solid, solid appointment! Just by reading his notes for the first time, he refers to us as blues and bluenoses, he gets the club and the meaning of it to us as fans #bcfc