Source: Northern_Echo
Mowbray believes Boro can challenge
AT first glimpse, it would be easy to suggest that Tony Mowbray's restructuring plans for the summer took much longer than he would have liked.[LNB] As soon as his first season in charge of a squad he inherited from the year under Gordon Strachan came to an end in May, Mowbray and chairman Steve Gibson knew what they wanted to happen, it was just about making sure it did.[LNB] Ridding the squad of a number of high earners was a priority, while retaining the young prospects that had caught the eye last season was just as essential. To a point.[LNB] Article continues below[LNB] IN [LNB] G Carl Ikeme Wolves, loan M Luke Dobbie Everton, free M Malaury Martin Blackpool, free F Curtis Main Darlington, free [LNB] OUT [LNB] D Andrew Taylor Cardiff, free F Kris Boyd Eskehirspor, nominal fee F Leroy Lita Swansea, £175m M Didier Digard Nice, free M Julio Arca unattached M Willo Flood Dundee United, free [LNB] Sixteen weeks after ending a frustrating campaign on a high by climbing up to midtable, Mowbray has only recently reached to a stage whereby he has been able to seriously look to the future.[LNB] It could, though, have been much worse. Had Kris Boyd and Didier Digard not followed the likes of Mikael Tavares, Willo Flood and even Gary O'Neil and David Wheater in January, August could have been vastly different.[LNB] Mowbray can now resist any tempting offers for the likes of Joe Bennett and Rhys Williams if they arrive, but he may have been asked by Gibson to let them go on the cheap were it not for those sales.[LNB] For me if you have got to get to a point, the quicker you get there the better. We have got there reasonably quickly in my book, said Mowbray. We have managed to do deals during the summer that have put us on an even keel. So from this point on hopefully we can reinvest in the team.[LNB] The complication could have been that we would have had enforced sales as the season was ongoing.[LNB] Ultimately, if we hadn't removed them, or done deals, then the cloud could have been hanging over us all season.[LNB] Even at this stage, following the departure of Leroy Lita to Swansea City for £1.75m, Mowbray knows a further sale is required for him to be in a position where he can actually spend some money.[LNB] The sooner we could push on the better. We know that if we wanted to bring in some real high profile players then there would need to be another sale or two, said Mowbray. My job is to weigh up positives or negatives, that might be selling fans' favourites to move things around. You have to make hard decisions that does not always make sense to fans.[LNB] There has been a lot of examples of that over the years. Kevin Keegan standing on the steps when Andy Cole was sold. I have done it myself. I built a team, at West Brom four or five years ago, and we had to start again.[LNB] In the last eight months, Mowbray has reduced the club's wage bill by more than £12m, but that has left him short of numbers in the squad. With money being invested in squads at a number of Championship clubs, he knows the challenge of delivering promotion is a difficult one this season.[LNB] It will be hard, said Mowbray, as a smile spread across his face. Having said that, I still think this squad, with a few changes here or there, will be good enough to challenge. We have a strong group, it's just about making that initial 11-man group stronger.[LNB] You can't go through a season with such a small group. We know that, but I am satisfied that we have got a chance and we will be ready to go.[LNB]
