Craig Levein v Tony Mowbray

[Horse]

Who do you think is the better manager?

 

Levein did get two 3rd place finishes with us and has a chance of a third one with Utd. However, his teams were / are fairly dull to watch.

 

Mowbray did get a 3rd place finish with Hibs and most people would say his team was good to watch.

 

Levein bombed badly at Leicester while Mowbray has baring a disaster taken WBA up to the Premiership and still continued to play good football (going by the media down south).

 

Not so sure how much this has to do with the right club at the right time as WBA do seem to be more stable than Leicester was when Levein was there.

 

Anyway what do you think? I am hoping for some decent debate not the school playground stuff!

[bean counter]

Sad to say for me it is Mowbray

[Say What Again]

Both have done well up here with limited resources but CL struggled badly down south.

 

I'd rather watch a Tony Mowbray team any day of the week.

[Coco]

Mowbray went south to a team with a huge number of good players and a lot of cash. Levein went to a team with poor players and little cash.

 

But Mowbray appears to have added to the squad well. Levein went on an absolutely hare brained signing spree for the likes of Maybury, Hughes and Joe Hammill! And he thinks that another English team is going to take a chance on him!

 

One other point on Levein - which I didn't see commented on here - was in the paper at the weekend where he was saying how he was desperate to get out of Hearts. Because the fans at the time were only interested in their protests after 30 minutes and an hour.

 

I remember the fans at the time being more interested in the paper aeroplane competitions than watching Levein's dour football ...

[bistokid]

Levein is a more pragmatic coach where as Mowbary is more idealistic.

They are very different in that respect.

Levein is a fire fighter in some ways, getting the best from limited player where as Mowbary would probably build you a more aesthetically pleasing side.

If I had to pick one I'd say Mowbary. Maybe.

[Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC]

Think Mowbray will go on to be a top class manager.

 

He has been successful in his short time as a manager and seems to have it spot on when it comes to putting out a team that can play a good passing game.

 

Will be interesting to see how WB adapt their game to the Premiership as most teams will be on a higher level than them.

 

Levein has got a better shaped head though.

[rudi]

Tony IMO is the better manger,sorry Mr Levein.

[Horse]

Have to agree that overall Mowbray does seem to have more to his bow than Levein.

[Csaba's Broon Shoes]

Levein never succeeded in the championship where Mowbray has no contest

 

at present however maybe better to judge them over a longer timescale as

 

football is a fickle game where you can have one good season out of several

 

Both are still very young mangers and good ones at that

[bigwull22]

Levin never succeeded in the championship where Mowbray has no contest

 

Mowbray never succeeded in Scotland where Levein did therefore no contest

[Csaba's Broon Shoes]

Mowbray never succeeded in Scotland where Levein did therefore no contest

 

Well Mowbray did to a certain extent how else would WBA appointed a

 

poor manager , he built a team full of kids and played free flowing football

 

to 4th spot in the SPL

[jamboinglasgow]

it depends on what you are looking for:

 

if you want a decent coach who will make an impact when he comes in and will keep a good level that will be maintained over the next few seasons then Levin is your man.

 

If you want a decent coach who will build a team up over a season then create good football to watch with being able to craft young players into a successful team then choose Mowbray.

 

If I was to choose one for Hearts it would be Mowbray, he could utilise the youth academy to its full, bring through great players and create exciting football, though we must accept that there may be one or two bad results early on the team would improve.

 

Think Hibs benefited hugely from Mowbray's time so much that John Collins was seen as a good manager. Think Hibs will have some benefit of hard graft from Mixu but they are going down hill after the peak.

[Del1812]

Mowbray's achievements this season have to be put into perspective. They are, IMO of course, by far and away the best side in that league (at least on paper) yet they may still not even win the league.

 

If they do win their last game and take them to the tally of 81 points their points total is so low it would not have meant automatic promotion in ANY of the last ten seasons. Most of which they wouldn't even have finish 3rd and one season would have seen them finish as low as 6th.

 

I know you can only beat what is put in front of you but in terms of quality this year's Championship has been really poor and I think Mowbray has strongly benefitted from that.

 

Plus I think a lot of people have forgotten what a great job Craig Levein has done at Dundee United. Let me put it this way, name me the last manager to do a really good job with Dundee United. The club was a death sentence for up and coming managers and nobody has done a decent job since Tommy McLean, cough, ******, cough, cough managed to get them third in 1996/97 (over ten years ago).

[Old Hearts]

Who do you think is the better manager?

 

Levein did get two 3rd place finishes with us and has a chance of a third one with Utd. However, his teams were / are fairly dull to watch.

 

Mowbray did get a 3rd place finish with Hibs and most people would say his team was good to watch.

 

Levein bombed badly at Leicester while Mowbray has baring a disaster taken WBA up to the Premiership and still continued to play good football (going by the media down south).

 

Not so sure how much this has to do with the right club at the right time as WBA do seem to be more stable than Leicester was when Levein was there.

 

Anyway what do you think? I am hoping for some decent debate not the school playground stuff!

 

Mowbray has had PLENTY money to spend at WBA, so a place in the Premiership is the LEAST he should've achieved this season.

 

On the other hand, Levein was chosen for the Leicester job due to his ability of producing an effective team at HMFC on a very small budget. His first job at Leicester was to drastically reduce the wage-bill. He had to offload many big money earners straight away & almost start from scratch. .... Then, once he had stipped the wage-bill, because results were not immediate he was given the boot.

 

Personally, I would say it is extremely unfair to compare Levein & Mowbray's English managerial exploits.

[PTBCAL]

Mowbray. Everyday of the week.

 

His football is exciting to watch.

 

I love winding the Hibees up at work re the hoofball they now watch and used to slag us for.

[Flimsy]

They are both good managers but with different styles.

 

Levein knows that if you don't concede goals you will win more games than you lose.

 

Mowbray knows that if you score goals you will win more games than you lose.

 

I would be delighted to have either of them as manager of Hearts.

[Dr Ian Malcolm]

Don't forget that Mowbray has had far more experiece of the English game than Levein. He played there for years with Middlesbrough and Ipswich, and was a coach at Ipswich for a few years befoe getting the Hibs gig.

 

Levein went to Leicester after over two decades of scottish football. The fact that he signed predomiantley all scottish based players showed that he didn't really know what was required down south - he tried to stick to what he knew. Mowbray has the experience and contacts to better cope with the game down there.

[Horse]

Mowbray has had PLENTY money to spend at WBA, so a place in the Premiership is the LEAST he should've achieved this season.

On the other hand, Levein was chosen for the Leicester job due to his ability of producing an effective team at HMFC on a very small budget. His first job at Leicester was to drastically reduce the wage-bill. He had to offload many big money earners straight away & almost start from scratch. .... Then, once he had stipped the wage-bill, because results were not immediate he was given the boot.

 

Personally, I would say it is extremely unfair to compare Levein & Mowbray's English managerial exploits.

 

I did, to be fair OH, also mention their Scottish records.

 

Trying to get an overall picture.

 

Agree, if WBA were not promoted this season it would have been seen as a failure.

[chester copperpot]

Mowbray's team have been the best and most in depth squad in that league by a country mile, yet they have huffed and puffed their way to the EPL. In saying that, I think he will really really toil next year in the EPL, and can see West Brom heading straight back down again.

 

Levein's quite a limited manager IMO, but is fairly successful with limited resources, so its hard to draw a comparison with them.

 

Probably take Mowbray but if it was for my club at this point in time, would take Levein as he's better at getting the best out of a bad bunch.

[lambojambo]

Mowbury is head and shoulders above Levein as a Manager.

[Buffalo Bill]

Mowbrey, it should be remembered, went into both Hibs and WBA at good times.

 

Much of the credit for the likes of Riordan and Brown has to go to Bobby Williamson.

 

At West Brom, as has been mentioned, he was given financial backing.

 

I would say Mowbrey's career path is panning out nicely, due in part to some good career choices. But as pretty as his football is, he was won diddly squat. Let's face it, we could all play pretty shapes: but winners **** the prom queen, so to speak.

 

Levein did a great job at Hearts, and he's doing a fne job at Dundee Utd. His teams are resolute, but often dull to watch. Levein too, has won nothing.

 

The real way to answer the question would be to ask: Who would you prefer as Hearts manager?

 

I'd probably go Levein!

 

 

Buffalo Bill

 

.

[Ivan Drago]

Did Mowbray take charge of many (or any even) games in Europe with Hibs?

 

If so how does his record compare with Levein while he was with us?

[Fort Vallance]

Leveins teams were relatively successful but not pleasant to watch

Mowbrays teams were easy on the eye but too easy beat and ultimately achieved nothing. It depends how you view your football, whether winning is the most important thing.

Completely away from the quality of play I wouldn't necessarily want either of them at Hearts because I wouldn't trust either of them not to jump ship at the first opportunity. Again !

[boabster]

Which one was " spanked and sent home " by the other ?

 

 

 

[Im1874]

Mowbray without a shadow of a doubt...anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves!!

[Pants Shaton]

Levein was asked to dismantle a squad and dramatically cut costs at Leicester.

 

Mowbray has achieved promotion with the backing of an ambitious board.

 

To conclude Mowbray is a better manager on the basis of their respective achievements in the championship is flawed logic.

[colinmaroon]

Simple!!!

 

 

Levein has never been in Mowbray's position - with a good squad and an ambitious board prepared to fund a decent squad!!!

 

Therefore, you cannot make a like-for-like comparison!!!

 

 

If Levein had gone to WBA when Mowbray did, I'm almost certain he would have got them up last season!!!

 

 

 

 

 

...............

[Daveandal]

As many have said…. Very unfair to compare the two due to the different types of Clubs they have managed.

 

In terms of their time in Scotland it has to be Levein.. There is no contest. In your consider the English parts of their careers then Mowbray might just shade it.

 

However I think Levein seems…. I think to be the manager that can learn from his mistakes more. For example I can’t see him giving any young players at Dundee Utd long term contracts purely on the bases of a wee, all be it, successful run in the first team.( Simmons).

 

Next season will be massive of Mowbray. If he can adapt this team to the Prem he is bound to get a higher profile job than West Brom.. If not he might end up the new Billy Davies!

 

http://scotsport.podbean.com

[lambojambo]

Simple!!!

 

 

Levein has never been in Mowbray's position - with a good squad and an ambitious board prepared to fund a decent squad!!!

 

Therefore, you cannot make a like-for-like comparison!!!

 

 

If Levein had gone to WBA when Mowbray did, I'm almost certain he would have got them up last season

 

 

 

 

 

...............

 

 

 

Utter BOLLOX!

[Seymour M Hersh]

Mowbury is head and shoulders above Levein as a Manager.

 

Shock horror LJ in anti Levein post!!

[Jamboscanbevicius]

Don't like saying it, but Tony Mowbary is a very good manager. Better than Levein IMO and still getting better from what I've seen of WBA this season.

 

I think ANY team in the UK could do a lot worse than having Mowbary as manager. His teams (whether you like it or not, and whether you cringe at the 'flair' comments or not) play good, open, attacking football.

 

It will be interesting to see how it goes for him in the Premiership though. It is not so easy to stay in the Premiership without battling, scraping results, and a few backs-to-the-wall performances.

 

If he is a truly exceptional manager he will have to adapt and compromise on the style of play at times next season!

[Smoked-Glass]

Spanked and sent home

 

 

Also beat them 3-1 in the festival cup.

[Ray Winstone]

Think Mowbray will go on to much bigger things than Levein could hope for.

 

Think Levein probably did better with Hearts than Mowbray did with Hibs but Mowbray has proved he is a good manager at West Brom.

[ian039]

i hate to say it but mowbury by a mile

 

 

get your cash on QPR for title next season b bill

[maltese jambo]

I honestly don't know what Mowbray teams come out when im not looking, but every time i've seen them play its nothing to write home about.

 

This season, Dundee United have played some great football, the games against us at tynie and against rangers at tannadice spring to mind...top passing and some great skill on show, bearing in mind that the players Levein has had to work with, he's really transformed that club and i could never have dreamed of seeing Wilkie play well like he's been doing recently.

 

Leveins record in SCOTLAND is very impressive, and i've take him as Hearts manager every day over Mowbray.

 

P.S. My greatest memories as a hearts fan were with Levein as manager; seeing a team play where you EXPECTED them to win most games as opposed to comming and just hopeing.

[12XU]

A no brainer.

 

TM plays attacking football to win - might lose 2 goals but score 3.what the fans want.

 

CL tries to sneak a 1 ot 2 goal win.YAWN.

 

Look at where LCFC are at present - CL started the rot.

[Deevers]

A no brainer.

 

TM plays attacking football to win - might lose 2 goals but score 3.what the fans want.

 

CL tries to sneak a 1 ot 2 goal win.YAWN.

 

Look at where LCFC are at present - CL started the rot.

 

Bit unfair there - Levein was told to cut back on the team whilst he was there. The buck for that really stops with the Board at LC.

 

As for Mowbray - he's made his reputation by taking WBA into the premiership - will he be able to further that reputation by keeping them there next season? I wonder!

[bighusref]

Sometimes the cover is deeper, sometimes it is obvious eh Horse.

 

To quote our great leader (arf!) zero tolerance.

[winston churchill]

Well Mowbray did to a certain extent how else would WBA appointed a

 

poor manager , he built a team full of kids and played free flowing football

 

to 4th spot in the SPL

 

 

 

his free flowing kids were ,humped by three different hearts managers in the same season.

 

his free flowing pass and move fancy flicking team, also finished 20+points a drift in four spot.

 

his ball is round keep it on the carpet team,also got done doggy in the 100 year semi final derby.

 

 

so to sum up,he did nothing up here apart from starting ra sellic huddle.

[winston churchill]

Sometimes the cover is deeper, sometimes it is obvious eh Horse.

 

To quote our great leader (arf!) zero tolerance.

 

he is more transparent than a perspex windy;).

[Dazo]

Mowbray without a shadow of a doubt...anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves!!

 

 

All I know is I would not put a single penny into UKIO bank...

 

 

 

There was nowhere near 15k at the game on Saturday... closer to 11k.

 

 

From what it says on the Evening News they are not signing him whilst he is crocked they are giving him the chance to have treatment and recuperate using their facilities with a view to signing him if and when he gets fully fit... that seems like a win win to me.

 

Have to agree with most of the posters on here... I think Yantorno could turn out to be a very good signing for them if they can get him fit. The sort of signing we should be looking at (if he was 100% fit obviously!!)

 

Absoulute Farce when our majority Shareholder doesn't even turn up!! That's it no ST for me this year.:mad:

 

[paulah]

As much as i love Levein and had great times wen he ws manager,it has to be Mowbray.His team were good to watch and their players were on crap wages into the bargain and Petrie sold all the youngsters Mowbray brought through

[Horse]

Sometimes the cover is deeper, sometimes it is obvious eh Horse.

 

To quote our great leader (arf!) zero tolerance.

 

Are you referring I am a Hobo:eek:

 

I was in the shed when your avatar scored that goal in August 1989 mate.

 

Just curious to get peoples view as both are of a same age and managed in the same leagues. Nothing hidden to my agenda:)

 

Plus it makes a change from the endless Vlad / ST debates.

[winston churchill]

Are you referring I am a Hobo:eek:

 

I was in the shed when your avatar scored that goal in August 1989 mate.

 

Just curious to get peoples view as both are of a same age and managed in the same leagues. Nothing hidden to my agenda:)

 

Plus it makes a change from the endless Vlad / ST debates.

 

 

 

 

and as a spotty faced school boy,i saw dode best play for the lochend brazil.

[Cade]

Levein is very good at getting results with little or no money.

He plays industrial, grind-you-down football.

 

Mowbray is good at getting results with stable finances behind him.

He plays flair-tastic, high-risk football.

 

Both are very good at what the do.

 

However, Monkey-heid was a Hibs manager so I automatically hate him forever.

[Dr Ian Malcolm]

Mowbray is a good manager, but his teams have a track-record for completely bottling it in the big games.

 

Scottish Cup Semis against Dundee Utd and ourselves, two four-goal hammerings at Tynie, a 5-1 away defeat in Europe where a score draw would have done (Dnipro were decent, but If Aberdeen can do it FFS) and lost the play-off final. Don't forget, they're not mathematically up yet (bar a disaster) and a win the other night would have made sure - they scraped a late draw.

 

His teams tend to turn it on and play some good stuff in the games they're expected to win - tend not to turn up in the ones they need to win.