I attended Tony Mowbray's West Brom unveiling and hung on every word of brutal account
The press room at West Bromwich Albion's training ground is as busy as it's been since perhaps the Premier League days. Not even the pre-match press conference before the FA Cup meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers was quite as busy as this. The national press, as well as the local media, have assembled in television, radio and written form.
It's easy to understand why. Tony Mowbray's appointment as the Albion boss, for the second time in almost 20 years following the harrowing year the man himself has endured, is some story in itself, let alone the fact that he returns to boyhood club Middlesbrough on Tuesday evening for what promises to be an emotional reunion.
Mowbray and sporting director Andrew Nestor are prompt. They said to be here for 1:30pm and they're in their seats for 1:29pm. The former has quite clearly lost a significant amount of weight - a total he later revealed stood at an astonishing four and a half stone - but despite his ordeal, trimmed down Tony was full of conversation and carried a glint in his eye. Clearly, he has waited all of 2024 to be back in this managerial hotseat.
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But then, there were times throughout 2024 when he admits he wasn't even sure if he'd see 2025. He spoke of lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by his wife and teenage children, eyes filled with tears and a dread at the thought that Mowbray might lose his battle. It's truly remarkable to think that, after that hellish experience - which only proved to reaffirm to Mowbray that health and family are king - he is back and 'bouncing'.
The 61-year-old was unashamed in delivering a truly in-depth account of what his life has been like in recent months while battling bowel cancer. Mowbray has often been too weak to stand up while showering. While undergoing treatment, he had to hide himself away from his family while his wife cooked their children dinner, because even the smell of food made him nauseous. His wife, Amber, had to regularly help him remove his stoma bag when it filled with bodily waste.
Those dark days are behind the Mowbray family now, and normal service has resumed - he is now routinely three and a half hours away from their Middlesbrough home, although there'll be a sharp return back up the M1 on Tuesday. Mowbray admitted that Boro away wouldn't have been the fixture he'd have chosen to greet him as he returned to management, but that 'we'll get on with it'.
The fire still burns bright. Nothing he has encountered and been forced to overcome in the past 12 months has dampened his enthusiasm, indeed it's only delayed the inevitable - Mowbray was always going to return to work.
“It never crossed my mind not to," he explained. “I just had to get through it - and there are times when you’re not sure you’re going to get through it. You’re not thinking about going back to work, you’re thinking of getting healthy again for your family, but I’ve been through that now - my whole pelvic floor, no control of my bowels, it was gone. Then I did all the stomach exercises and now I’m ready.”
On more than one occasion, Mowbray apologised for the length of his answers. He needn't have bothered, as the room clung onto every word which was delivered from his mouth. In all, and either side of an unexpected fire alarm which involved the whole building full of players, staff and press having to evacuate and congregate outside the doors, Mowbray and Nestor gave us almost an hour of their time. Clearly, Mowbray is just delighted to have returned to that environment.
While pointing out the obvious and inevitable differences which are simply as a result of time, there are still signs of the West Bromwich Albion which Mowbray left behind in 2009. "I've just met the maintenance guy who was sweeping up as I came off the training ground," he said. "He was here when I was here. It's difficult for me to remember everybody, but Jean in the kitchen is still here. It's a great family club and community club."
Over the course of this captivating hour or so, Mowbray managed to reference Harry Kane, Ange Postecoglou, Amad Diallo, Brian Clough and Colin Bell. His love of football has never wavered. Now, refreshed, revitalised and, most importantly, well again, Mowbray is ready to resume his career - and while things hadn't necessarily gone stale under Carlos Corberan, there is already a breath of fresh and familiar air around the club.
