New Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray issues first statement

Tony Mowbray says he has returned to Blackburn Rovers with a sense of unfinished business, as the experienced manager targets a long-awaited push back to the Premier League during his second spell at Ewood Park.

The 62-year-old has officially rejoined Blackburn on a long-term contract, bringing an end to the club’s search for a new head coach and marking a return to familiar surroundings after leaving in 2022.

Mowbray previously spent five-and-a-half years in charge of Rovers, overseeing a period that included promotion challenges and steady progress, though ultimately falling short of reaching the Premier League.

Now back at the helm, the veteran boss admits returning to Ewood feels like coming home and believes there is still unfinished work to complete.

Having attended several matches over the past season, Mowbray said reconnecting with the club strengthened his desire to return, describing Blackburn as a place that still feels deeply familiar after such a lengthy previous spell.

He acknowledged the disappointment of not quite achieving promotion during his first tenure and suggested that unfinished ambition played a major role in convincing him to come back.

For Mowbray, the objective remains clear — helping Blackburn compete at the top end of the Championship and finally secure a return to the Premier League.

The former Sunderland and West Brom boss also insisted he still possesses the energy and motivation required for management, joking that his family had grown tired of him being around the house during his year away from football.

Despite time out of the dugout, Mowbray says his passion for coaching has never faded and he is eager to return to daily work with players.

With Blackburn’s squad set to return for pre-season later this month, the experienced coach is already looking forward to building fresh relationships while reconnecting with familiar faces around the club.

Mowbray stressed his excitement at getting back onto the training pitch and hopes to inherit a group of players hungry to improve and compete.

He also acknowledged the responsibility that comes with leading a club of Blackburn’s stature, making it clear his focus will be on delivering performances supporters can be proud of.

After narrowly missing out on promotion during his previous spell, Mowbray now returns with renewed determination to finally finish the job he believes was left incomplete.