Can Mowbray be a winner at Celtic?

Does the manager have the personality trait to boss Celtic?

After yet another home draw, it is inevitable that questions will be raised over Tony Mowbray. Further challenged with downsizing the clubs expenditure but meeting the expectations of the fans has left Mowbray with a monumental task but is he up for it?

As a manager, Mowbray has a First Division Championship behind him but that aside, it has been hard luck stories and moral victories.

At Hibs, Mowbray’s team were renowned for quick passing and fast pressing and looked as though they could finally break the team’s Scottish Cup hoodoo.

A 3-0 Scottish Cup win at Ibrox, with Celtic already out of the tournament, would have caused many Hibs fans to dream about a sunny day in May. The 3-0 Ibrox win came after a 6-0 win over Abroath and before a 5-1 win at Falkirk.

14 goals in three games had Hibs in the semi-final but injuries and suspensions led the Hibs team to be weakened but they were still trounced 4-0 by Hearts at Hampden. Hearts then went onto stumble to a penalty shoot-out victory over Gretna and added another year to Hibs cup hoodoo.

Mowbray was in demand and in 2006 he was off to West Brom. John Collins took over at Easter Road and won the League Cup with the majority of Mowbray’s squad.

Mowbray took West Brom to the Play-off final in his first season but a Stephen Pearson goal gave Derby County a 1-0 win and kept the Baggies down. Derby were not prepared for a season in the top flight but a great run gave them the chance to add to Mowbray’s tale of woes.

The following season was Mowbray’s best in charge, West Brom taking a highly competitive league but it did not set the club up for a serious assault at maintaining their English premier League status.

In fact, Mowbray decided that fast open attacking play was what the fans wanted and that they wouldn’t care if it relegated them. The inevitable relegation followed and before he could set about taking the Baggies back up, Mowbray was at Celtic Park.

Mowbray had a big challenge on; Gordon Strachan had left no noticeable leaders and a few areas of great concern. A weak defence and forwards that need a lot of chances before scoring leaves any team vulnerable but Mowbray has been slow to solve these problems.

Marc Antoine Fortune is of value to the team and he has certainly helped in the creation of chances but with no one in the box to put these chances away, the frustration levels at Celtic Park have increased greatly.

Under Strachan, chances weren’t created and dullness reigned. Under Mowbray, the chances are being made and not taken, which in a way is even more frustrating. When the team is in full flow, Mowbray’s side are far more enjoyable to watch than Strachan’s team but missed chance after missed chance takes its toll on the fans.

This is when you need Mowbray to stand up for himself and his team but it never comes.

Everyone has their own personality and style and its not intended as a great criticism of Mowbray but there seems a lack of inspiration around the club. Players speak highly of managers who they would run through brick walls for…would any Celtic player punch through a wet paper bag for Mowbray?

Add this to Mowbray’s reaction to the refereeing decisions that have went Celtic’s way this season. Blatant penalties have not went Celtic’s way this season in a great number of games, not to mention chopped off goals and questionable bookings and red cards for their team whilst opposition players have got off lightly.

Any other manager would make an impassioned plea on behalf of their team, perhaps even questioning the integrity of the officials and would make their case known to everyone. Ex Motherwell boss Jim Gannon has made more of a plea on Celtic’s behalf about refereeing standards than Mowbray has…who prefers to take it on the chin…each and every time.

Let’s not get away from the fact that the Celtic players have let their manager down on many occasions this season and when you add this up to bad referees and strange formations and substitutions, is it any wonder Celtic are off the pace at the moment?

In life, it can sometimes be better to be lucky than good and Tony Mowbray does not give the impression of being a lucky manager.

Celtic fans, will it get any better?

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