Levein backs Mowbray to soar

Scottish coaching "flop" Craig Levein is convinced that Tony Mowbray will succeed where he failed and be a hit with Albion in the Championship. Levein made the same switch as the outgoing Hibs boss, who is due to be formally unveiled as Bryan Robson's successor on Monday, when he left Hearts in October 2004 to take over at Leicester City.

But Levein became the latest in a recent line of Scottish-based coaches who have struggled in the English game when he was sacked 15 months later.

Mowbray's intense ambition and record at Hibs won over Albion's hierarchy who were due to tie up the talks over personal terms today.

But as one senior Albion figure said: "Mowbray is so determined to come here and show what he can do he would take a cut in wages!"

And Levein, now manager of Second Division Raith Rovers, is tipping Mowbray to realise his dream of managing in the Premiership.

He said: "Tony was only going to be here short-term. He wanted to manage in England and Hibs was a starting point for him. I think he did a fantastic job for Hibs and it is time for him to go.

"What he has done is take a group of young players who were there when he arrived and moulded them into football players.

"I thought this season they looked stronger than they did last season. There is a time for people to leave and you will need to ask him why he left. But maybe he thought he could not do any more at Hibs.

"On the evidence of what he has done in Scotland, he is a very good manager. If West Brom are going to continue to spend money in an effort to get themselves back into the Premiership then I think he will have a good chance of succeeding."

Levein praised Mowbray for turning raw youngsters into first-rate footballers, with the likes of Scott Brown, Kevin Thomson and Steven Fletcher flourishing under his tutelage.

Mowbray is expected to take a seat in the Portman Road directors' box tomorrow while caretaker Nigel Pearson completes his duties at Ipswich. After that will come the gaffer's introduction on Monday with his No 2, ex-Wolves man Mark Venus, possibly joining him.