LEVEIN IS TIPPING SUCCESS

FORMER Hearts boss Craig Levein has backed Tony Mowbray to be the real deal in the English Championship with West Brom.

Levein made a similar switch when he left Hearts in October 2004 for Leicester but the move turned sour for the former Scotland star, who was sacked after just 15 months.

Mowbray has never hidden his desire to manage in the top flight south of the border and, after turning down a move to Ipswich last season, clearly believes his ambitions can be met at The Hawthorns.

Levein was celebrating being nominated for the Hearts Hall of Fame and reckons the time was right for Mowbray to quit the Hibees.

He said: "Tony was always going to be in Edinburgh short term.

"His eye was on managing in England and Hibs was a starting point for him.

"He did a fantastic job and it is the right time for him to go.

"There is a lot to be said about making an impact for two or three years then moving on.

"I don't know the circumstances at West Brom and whether there is money to spend but all I can say is that Tony is a very good manager.

"There is a time for people to leave and you will need to ask him why he left.

"But maybe he thought he couldn't do any more at Hibs.

"I don't think there is a big difference between the SPL and the Championship.

"If West Brom are going to keep spending money to get back into the Premiership then I think he will have a good chance of succeeding.

"I went into a job where it was all about cutting back rather than spending."

Levein also praised Mowbray for turning a bunch of raw youngsters into first-rate footballers.

He added: "Tony has taken a group of youngsters and moulded them into excellent football players.

"When they beat Rangers last season I thought they were going to kick on.

"But I think they are now stronger than they were last season."

But Levein reckons there is only going to be one winner in Sunday's Edinburgh derby.

He was the last Hearts boss to taste victory at Easter Road back in 2002 and said: "I think Hearts will win the derby.

"They have too much for Hibs at this moment in time and they also know how to play against them.

"I just think Hearts are playing well and Hibs' form hasn't been that solid."

Taken from the Daily Record