Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park Renovations Impress Mowbray
Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray is delighted with the club's Ewood Park renovations, including a new pitch, ahead of their match against Middlesbrough. The club's multi-million-pound surface is ready for its debut on Saturday, after a summer of hard work at the ground.
What Happened?
Mowbray visited Ewood Park on Wednesday and was impressed with the new pitch. "I was there yesterday; it looks amazing," he said. "They're going to cut it a couple of times before and after the game. It looks really nice, the outside of the pitch."
Why it Matters for Blackburn Rovers
The new pitch is a significant upgrade for Blackburn Rovers, and Mowbray is eager to see the team perform on it. "The games I came to last year, I did something I thought was almost comical. The players were warming up on the side of the pitch, on the grass on the pitch itself last year, when the game was going on."
What Comes Next?
Middlesbrough will provide stern opposition, with the team expected to dominate possession. "I know Middlesbrough will be bringing 6,500-7,000 fans," Mowbray said. "I hope that the good people at Blackburn, the Rovers fans, will come out and support the team."
Mowbray's Expectations
Mowbray is aware that Middlesbrough will be a tough opponent, but he is confident that the team can impose themselves on them. "It's a tough game for us. I would have preferred a different opposition in this first game where we could have been dominant and had lots of shots and lots of chances and the ball flashing across their goal and their goalkeeper having to make lots of saves."
Blackburn Rovers' Home Form
Mowbray is desperate to improve Blackburn Rovers' wretched home form from last season, where they won just four games at Ewood Park, scoring 19 goals in 23 games. Bringing excitement and fun back to the home ground is vital for the head coach.
Mowbray's Vision
Mowbray is eager to build a team that the supporters can be proud of and that can win football matches. "I'm here to try and put a smile on the supporters' faces because they've got a team to be proud of and that can win football matches," he insisted. "From my perspective, I'm here to try and help and put a smile back on people's faces by playing football, where we're trying to win every game and trying to score goals and be entertaining."
Current Season
Blackburn Rovers are currently 20th in the Championship, with 52 points from 46 games, and a recent form of LWDLD. They have scored 42 goals this season and conceded 56, with a goal difference of -14. They are 43 points behind the leaders, Coventry.
Mowbray's Return to Football
Mowbray has returned to football after a few years away due to illness. He is eager to do what he loves and build a team that the supporters can be proud of. "I want to do what I love. Build a team where the supporters appreciate that they aren't going to win every game every week, but they are out there trying to win every game, entertain and try to score goals."
Final Thoughts
Mowbray is confident that the team can have a decent season and push on. "I feel as if we can do that and hopefully we can have a decent season and then push on as if we can.
