Mowbray tells Albion boss: It’s all about having to win
A SUMMER chat with Tony Mowbray could help Darren Moore through his first sticky spell as a manager.
The rookie boss is going through his worst run with the Baggies, dropping from the top of the Championship with a single win in six games.
Moore stopped the rot after two successive defeats, but it was less than impressive stuff against a Blackburn side torn apart by injuries.
Rovers were down to 10 men for the last 15 minutes with keeper David Raya on his way to hospital after an horrific nose injury that affected his breathing.
Blackburn also had to change both central defenders and, with a third substitute already on the pitch, midfielder Richard Smallwood went in goal for the first time in his career. Still Albion could not add to a first-half header from Craig Dawson (below).
And the Hawthorns grew edgy when Harrison Reed equalised with a brilliant 25-yarder.
Rovers manager Mowbray (above) has seen it all in a 14-year career in the hot seat that includes a spell in charge of West Brom and the intense pressure of managing Celtic.
“The first thing about Darren Moore is what a fantastic human being he is. Everybody will say that and I endorse it,” said Mowbray.
“He finished last season fantastically well, beating Spurs and stuff like that – amazing. But there was no pressure then. I talked to him in the summer at a Pro Licence awards night about now having to win.
“You have to score, win matches and get people out of their seats and to believe.
“What I was trying to point out is the difference between trying to stay in the Premier League and trying to win the Championship.”
Albion were virtually relegated when Moore took over as caretaker from the sacked Alan Pardew, and he lost only one of six games.
Now Moore’s brief is to get West Brom up and, after a bright start with lots of goals, the wins have dried up. Mowbray got Albion promoted as champions 10 years ago and reached the FA Cup semi-finals, scoring 109 goals that season.
He went on: “It is a mindset change for the group and I think he has managed to achieve that. It’s credit to Moore that they have scored so many goals.
“You have to out-shoot the opposition in the Championship. I managed Celtic, and if you draw two on the bounce there you are in for the sack, it’s a huge pressure. West Bromwich Albion? There is a pressure. But the players will play for Moore because he’s an honest, hardworking, good bloke.“
Mowbray said his players nicknamed Smallwood ‘The Cat’ after his heroics.
But the stand-in keeper revealed he had a rival.
Smallwood said: “I volunteered to go in goal but Ryan Bennett put his name forward saying, ‘I’m really good’. I wasn’t having that – even though I’ve never been in goal in my life.
“The only time was when I was a kid in kickabouts and I had to go in goal when it was my turn.”
Rovers fans chanted ‘England’s No.1’ and Smallwood added: “The lads had a laugh about it after the game.
“Mind you, a few laughed before I actually went in goal.”
WEST BROM: BLACKBURN: