"My gut feeling" - Prediction made on Tony Mowbray's West Brom future amid Shilen Patel aspirations | OneFootball

The current Baggies boss' future at the Hawthorns has been discussed by FLW's Albion fan pundit

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Tony Mowbray’s emotional return to West Bromwich Albion was one of the feel-good stories in the Championship this season, with the 61-year-old returning to the game after his health struggles.

Having returned to the Hawthorns over 15 years after his first stint in charge of the club, Mowbray has helped the Baggies adjust to life without Carlos Corberan in the dugout, following the Spaniard’s departure for Valencia over the Christmas period.

With the battle for the play-offs tighter than ever right now, the Black Country outfit will have their sights set on finishing in the top six come the end of the season, although they have plenty of competition for one of the coveted spots in the Championship top six right now.

With that in mind, we spoke to Football League World’s Albion fan pundit Callum Burgess on his long-term prediction for Mowbray’s tenure at the club, and whether he can see the same man in the dugout in three years’ time.

Tony Mowbray prediction made amid Shilen Patel, West Brom goals

Mowbray’s return to the Hawthorns was warmly welcomed by the football world earlier this year, with the health scare that saw him have to take some time out as boss of Birmingham City last season well and truly put behind him.

The former Middlesbrough boss took over a side firmly in the top six at the start fo 2025 with Corberan’s tight-knit side earning points at quite the rate before he headed back to his homeland over the festive period.

Since then, the battle for the top six has intensified, with as many as nine sides still harbouring hopes of a play-off campaign as we head into the final two months of the season.

Current owner Shilen Patel has outlined his want for the club to head back to the top flight before too long, and with those lofty sights set, Burgess has his doubts over Mowbray’s longevity at the club as a result.

When asked about whether the current boss will be in charge by the summer of 2028, the Albion fan said: “My gut feeling at this moment is that in three years’ time Tony Mowbray won’t be West Bromwich Albion manager.

“Shilen Patel has got aspirations of us being a Premier League team once again during his ownership, and is he the right man to get us there? Hopefully.

“But I am probably 50/50 on whether that will be the case. Hopefully he will be able to get Albion another promotion, but it could also be a case of his success being his own undoing.”

Tony Mowbray fear outlaid as West Brom aim for promotion

Mowbray is a man who has been there and done it when it comes to getting Albion into the Premier League, having got his side to the promised land back in the 07/08 season.

Understandably, things were a struggle in the top flight, but the club stood by their boss as they immediately returned to the EFL, before Mowbray upped sticks and moved to Celtic during the following off-season.

Burgess has his doubts over whether the current owners would be as patient with the current boss, with next season likely to be pivotal in his future as Albion boss, whichever division the Baggies find themselves in.

He continued: “When Albion were previously promoted under Mowbray they did struggle and were relegated once again before he left for Celtic, so if we were to get promoted they would probably have a plan in mind that if things were unravelling quickly they would have to find a successor to him.

“Obviously, you can’t be thinking of those things too far in advance, but hopefully Mowbray is the man to get Albion back into the Premier League.

“But if there is a period of time where Albion are lingering in mid-table, and if next season things aren’t going too smoothly, then I think Shilen Patel may want to look elsewhere.”