Mowbray urges Blackburn to cash in on Toth amid Celtic interest
Tony Mowbray says Blackburn Rovers should accept a suitable offer for Balazs Toth, noting the goalkeeper has declined a substantial contract renewal and is seeking Champions League football.
Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray has addressed ongoing speculation linking goalkeeper Balazs Toth with a move to Celtic, admitting he was unaware of the interest until late on Thursday night. The former Celtic boss revealed that agents contacted him at 10:45 PM, the night before the club’s opening English Championship match against Wolves, to inform him that the Hungarian international was likely to be sold.
Mowbray described the late notification as frustrating, noting that football managers are often kept in the dark by the administrative layers of a club. “I don’t know is the answer,” he said. “You probably know how the layers in our football club work... football coaches, football managers, don’t need to know if one of your players is going to get sold.” Despite the timing, he maintained a pragmatic stance, stating, “I laughed it off, but let’s wait and see.”
The manager confirmed that Toth, who has one year remaining on his current contract, has declined a “pretty substantial” new deal from Blackburn. Mowbray insisted that if the player is unwilling to commit his future to the club, the administration should look to cash in on the asset. “If people aren’t going to sign contracts, there’s a million footballers out there, you have to cash in,” he stated.
Mowbray clarified that his comments were not a criticism of Toth, but rather a recognition of the player’s ambition. He expressed support for the goalkeeper’s desire to move to a club where he can win trophies and compete in the Champions League. “If the goalie wants to go and do it somewhere else... then who am I to tell him he shouldn’t do that? Good luck to him,” Mowbray said.
Regarding the potential departure, Mowbray pointed to the availability of other options within the squad. He confirmed that backup goalkeeper Aynsley is “very capable” and ready to cover the position if Toth leaves. The manager added that Blackburn would simply need to find another goalkeeper, reiterating that “there’s a million footballers out there.”
The comments came shortly after Blackburn drew 2-2 with Wolves in their season opener. The match ended in disappointment for the Rovers after they conceded a stoppage-time penalty, denying them all three points in the opening game of the campaign.
