What do Harvey Elliott and Amad Diallo have in common? Apart from a sweet left-foot, dazzling potential, and a bright future at two of the Premier League’s most historic institutions?
Well, both the Liverpool playmaker and the Manchester United whizzkid owe much to a humble, North Yorkshire-born 59-year-old who provided the launchpad for potentially storied careers at the very highest level of European football.
Elliott had only played seven minutes of league football for Liverpool before joining Tony Mowbray’s Blackburn Rovers on loan in 2020, returning to Anfield 12 months later following a remarkable tally of 18 goals and assists at Ewood Park. Elliott is now one of the first names on Jurgen Klopp’s team-sheet.
Diallo, arguably the most thrilling young talent in the whole of the EFL, looks well placed to emulate Elliott’s impact when he too returns to his parent club; his reputation enhanced and his confidence sky-high following a transformative stint at Mowbray’s Sunderland.
The Tony Mowbray factor
Jan Paul van Hecke, meanwhile, won Blackburn’s Player of the Year award under Mowbray while on loan from Brighton. Ryan Giles, Jarrad Branthwaite and Taylor Harwood-Bellis came on leaps and bounds too in Lancashire.
Ellis Simms, meanwhile, scored seven goals in 14 starts on Wearside, and was ‘bitterly disappointed’ when Everton cut short his spell at the Stadium of Light.
It is no coincidence that so many Premier League clubs – including Man United, Liverpool, Man City and Everton – are willing to entrust Mowbray with the development of their most promising young talent.
“I don’t think they sit there and think; ‘Let’s send this lad to Mowbray at Blackburn because he’ll teach them how to play’,” the former Middlesbrough captain told The Athletic in February 2021.
“Perhaps the head of football operations or the sporting director look at it and think; ‘They’ve got a good history of working with young players, making them better and sending them back almost ready (for first-team football in the top-flight)’.
“I just know that we try to create a culture of attacking, of doing the right things. All of those basics that the top footballers do naturally, we try and encourage every day. Good habits.”
‘Special talent’ Joe Gelhardt could leave Leeds for Sunderland
This is a rather long-winded run up to our overarching point; with Championship clubs queuing up to sign Joe Gelhardt on loan from Leeds United, what better place for one of England’s best young strikers to develop than under Mowbray at Sunderland?
Mowbray’s old employers Blackburn and bottom-of-the-table Wigan also want the England U21 international. But Leeds, the Northern Echo add, are giving ‘serious consideration’ to sending Gelhardt to the North East instead. And with very good reason.
Mowbray’s superb track record for youth development is not the only reason why Gelhardt stands to thrive with the Black Cats. Sunderland have scored the fourth-most goals (41) in the Championship this season. With Amad Diallo, Patrick Roberts, Alex Pritchard and a rejuvenated Jack Clarke buzzing around in the final third, Gelhardt certainly wouldn’t be short of chances – in both senses of the word – in the red-and-white of Sunderland.
“He’s a special talent,” Jamie Carragher told Sky after Gelhardt produced a magical, last-gasp assist during a vital 2-1 win against Brighton last season, a major factor in Leeds escaping the relegation zone at the eleventh hour.
With Patrick Bamford back, Rodrigo Moreno starring and Georginio Rutter arriving, Gelhardt has struggled to build on that at-times outrageous breakthrough season at Elland Road. But, like Diallo, Elliott and co before him, a spell under Mowbray could be the launchpad for Gelhardt’s career at the top level.
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