Deep Thinker Mowbray Get the Thumbs Up From Burley.

Last updated : 30 June 2009 By Clydebuilt

Scotland manager George Burley often comes across like a bad Dave Allan impersonator but he is known for having a good football brain as he gave new Celtic management team Tony Mowbray and Mark Venus. Burley assesses that it is a case of opposites attract as Venus and Mowbray are like chalk and cheese personality-wise.

On one hand you have Venus, a renowned character whilst at Ipswich who was always wanting to be part of every conversation and on the other hand you had the quiet figure of Tony Mowbray, intent on studying the game from every angle.

He said: "Even when Tony was a player at Ipswich, he was a deep thinker.

"He tended to keep his opinions to himself. But when he did speak, he was a leader of men and someone people would listen to.

"Mark was much more outgoing and willing to offer his opinions. He has not changed much over the years.

"They are different types, but complement each other well."

Burley also highlights that he was reticent as regards Venus' intent on going into management, but always new that Tony was destined to become a coach.

"I thought when we were at Ipswich that Tony was already looking to get into the management side of things one day, but I was not so sure about Mark.

"As players, they were different types as well. I got Tony from Celtic at a time when he had not been playing all that regularly.

"I knew him from our his years at Middlesbrough and appreciated he was a strong, commanding centre-half."

Burley added: "He did not let me down and did a terrific job for the team.

The current Scotland manager also reminisced about the period in which he had both Venus and Mowbray at the club, as both players found themselves under his charge in similar circumstances.

"A couple of years after signing Tony, I got Mark from Wolves where he was also struggling to get a regular game.

"They wanted Steve Sedgley, and I managed to get Mark plus £500,000, which was a good bit of business.

"We played with three men at the back. Tony was in the centre and was very good at winning the ball in the air and organising.

"Mark was on the left and was good with the ball. He was an excellent passer and liked to join in the play from the back, which was just what I had wanted.

"The partnership worked well. Sometimes it is the fact they are different which makes it work."

"There's a long-established good football philosophy at Ipswich, and I was lucky enough to be there as a player and then manager," said the Scotland boss.

A dynamic management team that shows synergy? I for one am looking forward to watching the next chapter.

Yours in Celtic

Clydebuilt