Ipswich Town caretaker assistant boss Chris Hogg has heaped praise on his former manager Tony Mowbray – but says it’s up to others to decide if he’s the right man for the Portman Road vacancy.
Mowbray, who coached Hogg as a young Blues player in the early 00s then signed him for Hibernian in 2005, has just guided Blackburn Rovers to automatic promotion in League One.
“I’m delighted for him,” said Hogg, who, along with fellow young academy coach Gerard Nash, is assisting temporary boss Bryan Klug until the end of the campaign.
MORE: It’s important not to be too cynical of Marcus Evans’ first on-camera interview
“I text him the day after they were promoted. He is a special human being. You see what he’s done in his management career, how he handles things and how humble he is with everything. Obviously he is well-known in these parts.
“He’s done a great job at Blackburn, he really has, and I have massive respect for him and his staff – obviously Mark Venus is there as well, another ex-player from here.
MORE: ‘He’s got my number!’ – Harry Redknapp declares his interest in the Ipswich job
“It will be really good to see them in the Championship next year. I wish him personally all the best and look forward to seeing what he can do.”
Ex-Town boss George Burley – who happens to be Hogg’s father-in-law – recently made a strong case for Town making ex-player Mowbray their prime target to replace Mick McCarthy this summer, insisting he ‘knows the philosophy of the club’ and ‘ticks all the boxes’.
Asked if he thought Mowbray would be a good fit for Town, Hogg smiled and said: “Listen, I’ll leave that for everyone else to speak about! He’s a great man and a great manager, but that’s not for me to speak about.”
MORE: Meet the international boss who’d aim to lead Town to the Premier League within two years
Burley signed Hogg as a promising defender from York in 2003, with the 33-year-old admitting: “Life has a funny way of working out! I met my wife here when I was 17 years old just six months after George left. She is the reason we relocated back down here five years ago.
“George is also a very special person. Obviously he had a great career as a player and as a manager. And he has that affinity to this club.
MORE: Wigan’s Paul Cook emerges as new bookies’ favourite
“We have some honest chats about football. We are always talking about the game. He still has that knowledge and passion for the game still.
“He doesn’t impose his will on me, he doesn’t tell me how things should be, but he’s there if I need him and is great to have for support.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here