Tony Mowbray’s first interview since taking over as manager at St Andrew’s is among the Birmingham City news from BirminghamLive.
Tom Wagner’s desire and energy to steer Birmingham City in the correct way struck out for Tony Mowbray, who spoke for the first time since taking over from Wayne Rooney.
Following Rooney’s catastrophic 15-game spell, the extremely experienced manager took charge of the Blues on Monday. He takes over in 20th place, six points above the relegation zone.
After being tasked with turning around the club’s problems, the 60-year-old confesses he became even more thrilled after speaking with Blues co-owner and chief executive Garry Cook. “I think their energy and excitement about what they might call The Project,” he told Blues TV in an interview. “It won’t happen overnight, but I sensed Tom’s excitement and energy about what he hopes to bring to Birmingham.”
“To be a part of the story, to hopefully help steer the club in the right direction and get the team back to winning and playing with confidence.” As time passes and transfer windows close, there is more investment in the team’s better players, and supporters can see it rising and increasing. If you are a Blues fan, I am really excited right now, and as the team’s manager, I am very excited.”
Mowbray also discussed how he plans to conduct business and get the most out of his players. “I bring my personality, I bring the ability to expose my own vulnerabilities,” he went on to say. “I don’t walk into a building and brag about how great I am and what I do.” I attempt to expose my vulnerabilities to them and require assistance from the existing staff.
“Hopefully, they see a guy who is honest, hardworking, and has integrity, and they want to help him and the club succeed.” I’ve always attempted to create a culture and bring my own set of ideals to a football team, hoping that others will follow. I hope people notice that you are one of the first to arrive and one of the last to leave.
“You work hard, and you make others happy. Make people want to come to work and be pleased. I am a firm believer that repetition of good habits is how you develop an identity; we need to have this team looking ahead, sprinting forward, passing forward, turning, and training is how you develop footballers’ good habits.”
Mowbray says he wants to play entertaining, high-energy football for the Blues fans. “I hope it’s full of energy, aggression, playing on the front foot, dominating the ball, we want to get to the point where the opposition is a little afraid trying to stop us and we’re banging on the door trying to knock it down,” he added.
“With the quality of the players, I don’t see why we can’t; it’s a mindset for me, a mentality of how you approach the game, are you on the front foot, are you on the back foot, are you letting them take the initiative.” It is a state of mind. Be courageous. Want to play forward, want to turn and play forward, constantly organization against the ball to stop transition when we lose it, but make sure we are optimistic and try to win every football match we play.”
