Celtic stump up to land Mowbray

Published on Saturday 13 June 2009 21:14

CELTIC have finally agreed a deal with West Bromwich Albion that paves the way for Tony Mowbray to become their new manager.

The 45-year-old was given permission to talk to Celtic around lunchtime yesterday and is expected to be formally installed in his post within the next 48 hours. "These are complex but important negotiations and we can assure our supporters that we continue to aim to get the right man for the job in the right way," Celtic chairman John Reid told the club's website in confirming talks with Mowbray.

Both clubs claimed that the stand-off over the 2m buy-out clause in West Brom manager's contract had been concluded to their satisfaction. A statement on the English club's website said the two sides "had agreed in principle a 2m compensation package". Sources at Celtic, meanwhile, expressed their "delight" over the resolution to the issue and the were "happy with what we have done", believed to be a reference to the fact that the actual sum paid for Mowbray could be around 1.5m.

Additional compensation will be required for his assistant Mark Venus and first-team coach Peter Grant. The entire cost to Celtic of the management team, who will join up with coach Neil Lennon to complete the club's backroom staff, is expected to be in the region of 2m.

"We do not want to lose Tony because he has been an integral part of a long-term project at the club which the vast majority of our fans have bought into," said West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace, whose publicly is given the impression his hardline stance of the 2m compensation fee has carried the day. "But Tony expressed his desire to talk to Celtic and, now that the compensation figure in his contract has been met to our satisfaction, that process can take place. If Tony decides to join Celtic, he would leave with our good wishes and we would then immediately."

Celtic have been accused of dragging their heels over progressing their pursuit of Mowbray. Yet, only six days elapsed between them approaching West Brom for permission to speak to him and agreeing compensation for his services. Aberdeen took longer to agree such a figure with Motherwell for Mark McGhee.

Tomorrow will mark three weeks since Gordon Strachan announced he was stepping down. That decision was made public less than 24 hours after the club lost their grip on the championship they had snared for the first three years of his tenure. Initially, Celtic then had Owen Coyle sounded out about filling the vacant position. Having guided Burnley through the play-offs to the English Premier League for the first time in 32 years, Coyle elected to remain loyal to the Lancashire club. Permission to speak to Swansea City's manager Roberto Martinez was then declined over the issue of a compensation sum before Mowbray emerged as clear front runner.

The former Celtic defender, whose wife Amber is expecting the couple's third child within the next fortnight, will be tasked with overseeing a rebirth of his old team. The football played under Strachan, as well as his abrasive personality, turned off many club followers. Mowbray's idealistic approach to free-flowing attacking football, and his passionate, appealing, dignified character will have played well with major shareholder and kingmaker Dermot Desmond and the rest of the Celtic board. They will have recognised that Mowbray possesses the attributes to make himself in to a football faith healer for a largely disaffected support. He will have to do so rapidly with a Champions League qualifier on 26 or 27 July his competitive opener. The draw for the tie will take place a week on Monday with Celtic required to negotiate two rounds against potentially daunting opponents from high ranking nations to reach the group stages.

Mowbray lacks certain key personnel to translate what will be good intentions into good results. It is understood he may return to Albion to address that fact. Already credited with an interest in striker Marc-Antoine Fortune, who was on loan from Nancy for the second half of last season, he could mount a bid for West Brom's 24-year-old Spanish midfielder Borja Valero, pictured, who he signed from Real Mallorca last summer although he may be out of Celtic's price range. Mowbray could favour a 4-2-3-1 formation with Scott Brown sitting in front of Marc Crosas and Valero, if he can be acquired.

With Shunsuke Nakamura, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Paul Hartley all likely to go elsewhere having come to the end of their present deals, Mowbray should have slack within the wage bill to redeploy elsewhere. Especially, with top earner Bobo Balde's contract having now expired.

John Park, essentially a talent spotter at Celtic as he was under Mowbray, is known to be keen for Celtic to pursue a move for Barcelona's 35-year-old Brazilian left-back Sylvinho. The full-back position has long been a problem area for the club.

The forward line became of equal concern as neither Vennegoor of Hesselink nor Georgios Samaras, in between injury spells, proved reliable partners for the over-worked Scott McDonald. In an effort to alleviate this situation, Celtic offered 2.2m for Hibs' Steven Fletcher in January. It is highly probable they will revive their interest in a forward who Mowbray was to believed to be interested in taking to West Brom. Only last week, the 22-year-old Scotland internationalist cited his former manager at Easter Road as the biggest influence on his career.

Mowbray is believed to have in the region of between 5m and 7m to spend on transfer fees. Wage costs will expected to be covered with the near 90,000-a-week saving if Balde, Nakamura, Vennegoor of Hesselink and Hartley are off the books. It has been suggested that, as well requiring to win the title, Mowbray will also be expected to reduce the wage bill from its current level of 40m.

Charlie Nicholas: why did it take so long to strike the deal?

FORMER Celtic striker Charlie Nicholas has declared himself happy with Tony Mowbray's imminent return to Glasgow but insists the Parkhead club should have moved to get the deal done last week.

Nicholas said: "I have to say I'm happy with it. Tony is very honest and a very devoted individual.

"But I'm amazed. Why did they not just do it a week ago? Why can't they simply say the most important person at the club is the manager of the playing staff and if the man is available a week ago, it's simple business. Don't muck about, get the business done. Typical Celtic, they have delayed it. But if they have moved it on and got the deal done, I will be happy with Tony, Peter Grant and Mark Venus."

Nicholas added: "The debate will always linger at Celtic, is there a budget for Tony? If you look back at the great Tommy Burns, he was told by Fergus McCann (former Celtic owner] in the past that he had a budget but that changed.

"As long as they are honest with Tony and honest with the fans. They don't need to name a budget, as long as the manager is happy.

"I firmly believe Celtic need five or six players, not to compete with Rangers in the SPL but to play in Europe, where they should be judged.

"There is a lot of work to be done, a lot of financial repair to be made to this team but I'm very happy that Tony is to become manager."

Nicholas, who had two spells at Celtic, is hoping the fans witness a better style of football than former boss Gordon Strachan served up in his four years at Parkhead.

He told Sky Sports: "Gordon didn't play the type of football I would like. The team was bland. He was in denial for a long time saying that they were playing fantastic football when it was clear that the fans were staying away. Tony wants to play a more open and attractive game.

"It doesn't take a great deal of money to purchase players to compete with Rangers for the SPL because we know it (the title race) went to the last game of the season again. Celtic fans want entertainers, big names, but will Tony get the budget?"

Mowbray's reputation for stylish football will be welcomed by fans, according to Peter Rafferty, secretary of the Association of Celtic Supporters' Clubs.

He said: "Tony Mowbray will be a good appointment. He has served a decent apprenticeship in Scotland and England. He is obviously aware of Celtic and he will be well received by the fans.

"Peter Grant will be coming with him and nobody is a bigger Celtic man. Even at West Brom Tony was committed to playing good football and the fans still supported him, and that says a lot when he got the team relegated.

"So we look forward to Celtic playing exciting and entertaining football – but we need to get the balance right.

"We will want to play class football but it is important that we win and when I say win, I mean win trophies."

Ronnie Esplin