Ipswich boss Jim Magilton today backed old pal Tony Mowbray to rise to the challenge of managing Albion and bringing Premiership football back to The Hawthorns. Magilton was hugely impressed by the Baggies as they thrashed his Ipswich side 5-1 on Saturday, a game new boss Mowbray watched from the Portman Road directors’ box.
Mowbray will also take a watching brief at Crystal Palace tomorrow night as Nigel Pearson takes charge of the team for the final time.
He will then start work on Wednesday, and Magilton, who spent five years working with Mowbray at Portman Road, says Albion have made a good choice in their appointment of Bryan Robson’s successor.
“Tony is a development coach and manager who likes to be on the training field,” said Magilton.
“He is bright and enthusiastic and will work to improve players. He lives and breathes football and has a passion about the game. He will enjoy working there because they have players of quality.
“It will be a step up for him, but he has the desire and the ability to do well there.”
Mowbray is staying tight- lipped until he is officially unveiled as manager later this week.
“It is not right to say anything about my new team at the moment,” he said. “All that will come on Wednesday when I start work. Suffice to say it was an interesting afternoon.”
Former Wolves defender Mark Venus is poised cross the Black Country divide by leaving Hibernian to rejoin Mowbray at Albion.
Venus yesterday confirmed he would not be applying to become Hibs’ new boss in the wake of Mowbray’s departure and yesterday’s Edinburgh derby with Hearts.
Pictured is albion’s hat-trick hero Kevin Phillips.
By Steve Marshall
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