Sentimentality has no place when the stakes are high — and for West Bromwich Albion, the decision to part ways with Tony Mowbray was not just understandable, it was absolutely necessary.
Mowbray’s second stint at The Hawthorns was meant to be a heart-warming story of redemption. Instead, it turned into a costly mistake. Despite his legendary status, the harsh truth is that Mowbray’s results, tactics, and management style were simply not good enough to meet the club’s ambitions.
Results Were Disastrous From The Start
Since returning in January, Mowbray oversaw just five wins in 18 games. Albion slipped from 5th place to 10th, and while they are not yet mathematically out of the play-off race, only a miracle could salvage their hopes now. The 3-1 defeat to Derby County on Easter Monday was the final straw — their fifth loss in six matches.
In a league as competitive as the Championship, form like that is terminal for promotion ambitions. Mowbray’s side collected just 19 points out of a possible 54. That is relegation form, not promotion form. Albion’s owners simply could not afford to watch the club stumble into mid-table mediocrity after all the investment and hard work of recent seasons.
The Shadow Of Carlos Corberan
Replacing Carlos Corberan was always going to be a monumental task. The Spaniard had transformed Albion, dragging them from the foot of the table to the play-offs in his first campaign, and had them poised for another top-six finish before his departure to Valencia. Corberan’s tactical acumen and attention to detail were lauded by players and fans alike.
In contrast, Mowbray’s approach seemed outdated and passive. While he rightly earned praise for his man-management skills at previous clubs, Albion’s squad — shaped in Corberan’s image — needed structure, not sentiment. Without it, the side looked disjointed, lacking direction at precisely the worst time of year.
Injuries Didn’t Help, But Excuses Wore Thin
To be fair, Mowbray’s reign was hampered by injuries to key players. Josh Maja, the club’s top scorer, was ruled out from early January. Semi Ajayi struggled for fitness, and captain Jed Wallace spent lengthy spells sidelined. But every Championship manager deals with injury headaches. The better ones adapt.
Mowbray’s failure to find solutions exposed a worrying lack of tactical flexibility. Rather than rallying the squad, performances became laboured and predictable, costing vital points at home and away.
The Goalkeeping Conundrum
Albion’s January decision to sell Alex Palmer to Ipswich City also created a huge problem. Joe Wildsmith, brought in as the replacement, made multiple costly errors, including six mistakes directly leading to goals.
Mowbray stuck with Wildsmith for far too long, despite clear evidence that academy graduate Josh Griffiths — impressive on loan at Bristol Rovers — was ready to step in. That stubbornness ultimately cost the team points and bred uncertainty at the back, precisely when solidity was needed most.
Transfer Market Misfires
Much excitement greeted Albion’s January signings, with Isaac Price, Tammer Bany and Will Lankshear among the arrivals. Yet only Price made a consistent impact. Mowbray’s failure to utilise Southampton loanee Adam Armstrong effectively baffled supporters. Armstrong, who scored 21 goals last season, was repeatedly played out wide rather than being used centrally where he is most dangerous.
It was another example of muddled thinking at a time when clarity and decisive leadership were vital.
Discipline Went Out The Window
Perhaps most damningly, Albion’s discipline crumbled under Mowbray’s watch. Four red cards in 17 games, compared to just one across the entirety of the previous season, tells its own story. Kyle Bartley, Darnell Furlong, Jayson Molumby and Callum Styles all saw red in costly moments.
Playing with 10 men became a grim theme, undermining performances and stretching an already injury-hit squad even further. Mowbray’s famed soft-touch style might have worked with younger squads, but Albion needed steel, not sympathy, during their play-off push.
Football Has Moved On
There is no denying that Tony Mowbray is a respected figure in West Brom’s history. His achievements — winning the Championship in 2008 and reaching an FA Cup semi-final — will never be forgotten. However, football has evolved dramatically in the past 16 years.
Championship success now demands tactical flexibility, intensity, and clear in-game management — all areas where Mowbray fell short. His methods, while admirable, now feel like a relic of a bygone era, ill-suited to the modern, analytics-driven environment in which Albion must now operate.
Final Verdict
In the end, emotion cannot be allowed to cloud judgement. Tony Mowbray’s second spell at The Hawthorns was filled with hope but ultimately delivered only disappointment. His poor record, tactical missteps, and failure to arrest the club’s slide made his sacking inevitable. The board were absolutely right to act swiftly — now the real work to rebuild must begin.
