Tony Mowbray has ruled out a managerial return to former club Hibernian.

Mowbray was installed as favourite for the Hibs job after announcing his departure from Rovers.

The 58-year-old had a successful start to his managerial career with Hibs, leading them to European football during his two-year stay at Easter Road between 2004 and 2006 before leaving for West Bromwich Albion. 

Shaun Maloney was relieved of his duties as Hibs manager last month, with the club now looking for a new boss, with the Rovers manager among the favourites with bookmakers.

But Mowbray, who also managed Celtic where he had a successful spell as a player, has ruled out a return to Scotland.

Cooling talk of a return north of the border, Mowbray said: “I have done the pinnacle of Scottish football, it didn’t work out for me.

“I think a club that is ambitious, a club that wants to get to the Premier League would be an ideal situation for me.”

Mowbray was also surprisingly listed high in the bookmakers odds for the vacant managerial position at Hartlepool United following the departure of Graeme Lee.

With his time at Rovers coming to an end after five years in charge, Mowbray says he is still keen to continue in management, with the thought of a possible move upstairs, into a director of football role, not something he is considering at this stage, nor is retirement.

He added: “To be able to do normal things is good.

“But give me a few weeks and I’ll be craving organising something, planning something, preparing a session.

“I hope to be in football management still for a long time because it’s what I do.

“But it is becoming more difficult.

“I do it because I like footballers who want to learn and get better and try and get a better life and get to the Premier League. That’s why I do it and hopefully there’s another opportunity out there for me to be able to continue doing that.”

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