Next Middlesbrough manager as former Hibs boss amongst favourites with ex Hearts head coach a wildcard option
The former Hibs boss is in the mix with an ex Hearts man further back in contention.
A popular former Hibs boss has been linked with becoming Middlesbrough manager - and an ex Hearts head coach is also in the shake-up.
The English Championship side still have Rob Edwards as their gaffer but he is strongly linked with filling the vacant head coach role at Wolves, with a cancelled press conference and no-show at training only fuelling rumours. That has many fans already turning their attentions to who will come next and one experienced name in the frame is Tony Mowbray.
Now 61, the ex-Hibs boss made an emotional return to management at West Bromwich Albion last season - 16 years on from his successful first stint at the Baggies where he won the Championship and took them to an FA Cup semi-final. He had been out of work after illness but his Hawthorns return did not go to plan as he was axed after five wins from 17 games amid dwindling play-off hopes last season.
Who will be the next Middlesbrough manager?
BetVictor ranked Mowbray as the favourite to replace Edwards on Friday night and heading into Saturday morning. Other favourites include ex-Rangers bosses Steven Gerrard and Russell Martin while former Hearts head coach Neil Critchley is listed as an outside bet.
He has not been back in the dugout since being sacked by the Jambos earlier this year but has Championship experience with QPR alongside two stints with Blackpool. Preston North End manager and ex-Hibs boss Paul Heckingbottom is also mentioned. Mowbray’s attacking style won plaudits at Hibs between 2004-2006, where they finished in the top four during his two full seasons, since managing the likes of West Brom, Celtic, Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers.
The experienced gaffer said of his Hibs stint earlier this year: “I've only lasted so long in the game because we've won games. You've found a way to win with the group of players we've got. If I think back to Hibernian, the average age of that team would have been about 20. Scott Brown was 17 when I arrived at Hibernian. He had a red Mohican, he had no hair down the side.
Tony Mowbray on spell at Hibs
“Scott Brown, who went on to captain Celtic for 10 years and captain of Scotland. Mad guy. Became a leader. Became a leader as he was given the licence to... him and Kevin Thomson were amazing together.
“Thommo went to Rangers, Scott went to Celtic. Derek Riordan, what a left foot. What a footballer. I allowed him to cheat out a little bit. First time ever in my life I would have said don't worry about running back too much. Make sure you get in a position where when we win it we can give it straight to you. Don't stand against the centre half.
“Drop in there and the centre half doesn't want to go. Give it to Derek. Derek would dance with the ball and stick it in the top corner. It's like when everyone's like, what a team Mowbray’s got. Basically I'm saying give it to Derek. Get it into Gary O'Connor's in front of him. Don't give it to his feet In front of him he's a big ram. He could run like hell and knock people over. And smash it in.”