Mowbray admits that he'll have to sell the Middlesbrough Celts
The Teeside club face a third season in the Championship which means that high earners such as Scott McDonald, Stephen McManus and Barry Robson will have to be moved on.
All three were signed by Gordon Strachan to get the club back into the Premiership at the first attempt but financial reality is hitting hard with Kris Boyd already sent out on loan to Nottingham Forest.
Mowbray’s honesty probably contributed to his downfall at Celtic but at a recent supporters Q and A night he spelt out the financial realities facing the club.
“We have 6, 7, 8 or 9 players who earn more than this club can afford to pay,” the Boro boss admitted. “That’s not their fault, that’s just the way it is and we have to accept that.
“Decisions were taken with the best of intentions but they haven’t worked out. I have to be honest with you because I know you care about this football club as much as I do. We’re in a position where we have to move players on, it’s as simple as that.
“It’s a very difficult situation we’re in. This is what we need to address over the summer. It won’t be easy because some of the players we need to move on are on very good contracts with two, three years remaining on them. We have to hope other clubs will want to buy our players.”
Mowbray also gave an interesting insight into scouting matters giving a direct comparison between how ‘Boro operate and the way that Celtic do business.
He explained: “When I was at West Brom we had everything on hard-disk, a whole raft of players, thousands and thousands of players from all over the world all on our database.
“We knew their attributes. We knew them inside out. If I needed a player then I could consult my, our, database and put a short-list together. When I went to Celtic we had a similar thing.
“Thousands and thousands of players, from every corner of the globe really, all on hard-disk. When I needed a player I used it. I could make a copy of it, take it home and study it. This doesn’t exist at Middlesbrough. We don’t have that facility.
“I don’t know why, who was responsible for it, but we don’t have anything like that. I know Gordon(Strachan) doesn’t use scouts, he uses his contacts. Like I say, he has his way and I have mine.
“I like to think I’m a modern manager and I’m thorough. It’s not me being arrogant but nobody prepares their team, their staff, more thoroughly than I do.
“Should I have brought a copy of my database down with me when I took the job? Possibly, but then you have to ask; does the database belong to me or the club? So, maybe I should have brought it with me but it’s gone now, in the past.”
Full article from Middlesbrough Supporters South.
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