Boro welcome secondplaced Cardiff City to the Riverside on Saturday, and while the Saltburn-born 49- year-old has been unable to field a settled team owing to injuries and illness, he is convinced that his side can move up the league playing his way.
Mowbray earned plaudits for his style of play while in charge of Hibernian and West Bromwich Albion, but he suggested yesterday that his reputation as a connoisseur of attacking football has been misrepresented.
He said: I've been asked that question now for seven years. I always like to turn it around, what do you want me to do kick it long You do whatever you need to do to win football matches, which is what we're trying to do.
I'm not sure what the perceived philosophy is. Do you know what my philosophy is
The reputation I have is built on success, I suggest. Winning leagues, getting to cup semi-finals, winning promotions and the like.
That's the silly world about football, and journalism, you look at the teams doing well in the Premier League. Look at Blackpool, West Brom and even Newcastle, going to Arsenal, scoring six past Villa and five past Sunderland playing attacking football, there's a freshness in the Premier League.
Isn't it fantastic to see Blackpool playing attacking football Yet it's so easy to spin it, as soon as Blackpool lose a few games people will be saying it's time to change the philosophy, go back to front.
During West Brom's promotion- winning season in 2007- 8, Mowbray's Baggies won the Championship with 81 points, scoring 88 goals on the way.
But Mowbray was keen to point out that it hasn't always been a case of playing attacking football.
He explained: You do what you do to win football games.
Am I under pressure to change my philosophy No.
If you study football, there's times to play long, and there's times to play in behind them and keep the ball and pass it around. We do both at different times.
Late in the game you put your biggest players up, we've put David Wheater up front and try to get a knock down.
You try everything to win a football match.
It's like a label that is stuck on me, that my teams play with a certain flair, but what we demand of our players is to be brave enough to make a pass, to accept responsibility on the ball, no different from every good team in British football.
Source: Northern Echo
Source: Northern Echo