TONY Mowbray has been officially announced as the new manager of the Sky Blues.
The 51-year-old has signed a short term deal until the end of the season and will replace Steven Pressley who was sacked last Monday after two years in charge.
Club officials and Mowbray were locked in talks that went on late into Monday evening and the Observer understands a ‘verbal agreement’ was reached for the former West Brom and Celtic manager to take on Ricoh Arena hot seat.
It is understood that Mowbray was one of several high profile candidates who were considered for the role and Sky Blues chief executive Steve Waggott said he is ‘absolutely delighted’ to welcome Mowbray to the club.
He said: “We’ve secured the services of a highly-rated, experienced candidate for the job and Tony is a manager who has enjoyed plenty of success at a higher level.
“He has experience in coming into a club in challenging times and steering them through to safety and, on top of that, has enjoyed promotion too.
“We were all very impressed with Tony during the interview process and it speaks volumes that the club are able to attract a manager of Tony’s calibre.
“We wanted someone who could come in and hit the ground running because we have 14 important games left in this season and the number one priority is to preserve our League One status.
“We have agreed terms until the end of the season and then, immediately after the final ball is kicked, we can reassess and look at a longer term deal. It was just vital, at this stage, to get the right man in to help steer us through the current situation between now and the end of the season.
“We believe Tony is exactly the right man for Coventry City and everyone here, from supporters to staff, will get right behind him.”
Mowbray, who also spent a short spell in charge at Scottish Premier League giants Celtic, will take charge of first team affairs immediately and his first match as manager will be Tuesday night’s trip to Barnsley.
Mowbray began his managerial career at Hibernian in 2004 and led them to a top four finish in the Scottish Premier League which earned him the Scottish Football Writers’ Association manager of the year award in his first season in charge.
He guided Hibs tot the first round of the UEFA Cup before moving south of the border to West Bromwich Albion in October 2006.
Under his stewardship the Baggies missed out on promotion back to the Premiership after losing out to Derby County in the play-off final, but the following season they won the Championship title, as well as reaching the FA Cup semi-finals.
However Mowbray was unable to keep the Baggies in the top flight and in the summer of 2009 he moved back to Scotland to replace former Sky Blues boss Gordan Strachan as manager.
His time at Celtic Park lasted just nine months after a poor campaign led to his sacking and in October 2010 he made a return to England to replace Strachan again, this time at Championship side Middlesbrough.
Mowbray led Boro to a 12th place finish and in his first full season at the Riverside they finished the 2011/12 campaign just one place outside the play-offs.
Neil MacFarlane and Dave Hockaday will be in charge for tonight’s game at Barnsley.
Tony Mowbray has signed a deal to become the new Sky Blues manager until the end of the season. (s)
