Ex-West Brom goal hero: Tony Mowbray made it easy for us...we worked so hard for him

Mowbray believes that a 'Super Kev' is exactly what the Baggies require at the moment to address goalscoring woes – somebody who 'lives for goals'.

Speaking to the Express & Star, Phillips - now manager at National League outfit AFC Fylde - said he was optimistic Saturday's 5-1 victory over lowly Portsmouth was the sign of things to come... "or I'll have to get my boots on!"

Phillips and Mowbray have remained close friends and exchanged messages during the latter's recent ill health. During Mowbray's recent spell at Sunderland, one of Phillips' old clubs, the former striker regularly met with his former Hawthorns boss.

Baggies goal hero Phillips, 51, was succinct when it comes to Mowbray's attack-minded secrets - and he knows it was exactly what was needed for the Albion faithful.

He said: "Every club he has been at he has been well thought of. The style of football he plays excited people. At this precise moment at The Hawthorns that's what they need - exciting, dynamic football.

"I picked his brains at Sunderland about (Amad) Diallo who was flying at the time. He said he kept his messages to the players simple - when we win it or are playing through the pitch, find our best players.

"Whether that's derogatory to others, we're talking about offensive players, your best players at what they do. The message is get the ball to them as quickly as you can, back them up and give them licence to do what they do.

"Tony is a very good man manager, he knows his stuff. I wouldn't imagine he's doing tons of coaching on the grass. His job is to get the best out of the attackers, putting an arm around them, a bit of love, maybe a kick up the backside.

"His huge strength is getting the best out of the players."

Phillips received his commemorative Albion cap on October 1, at half-time during the 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough. He was supposed to receive it from Mowbray, who was then too ill to attend.

Mowbray has half-joked that the club's class of 2024/25 is missing a Phillips, or a Bernie Slaven - Boro goalscoring hero and team-mate of Mowbray during back-to-back 1980s promotions.

Only this week videos surfaced on the 18th anniversary of Albion's FA Cup victory at Wolves with Phillips on target in front of a packed and rapturous away end. Mowbray certainly knew how to get one over the rivals down the road.

The rock-solid foundations built by predecessor Carlos Corberan are abundantly clear. Albion's defensive record in the Spaniard's two-and-a-bit years was testament to that.

Also crystal clear was the need for more in the final third. Mowbray addressed it from day one - to 'tickle the tummies of his attackers' and 'let them off the leash' - while sporting director Andrew Nestor stated similar. Albion's painful run of 10 draws from 11 this term pointed to clear issues. Corberan did an excellent job at The Hawthorns, but there was a need to change the squad's mindset.

Phillips is one of the most natural finishers English football has produced since the 1990s, but what did Mowbray do to help the striker net 22 and 24 goals in consecutive seasons on the way to a Championship title?

The ex-striker added:  "He just made life easy for me. I've got huge respect for Tony and did back then.

"I wouldn't say I was in the final years of my career because I went on and played many more, but I was of an age where you do think about the end of your career.

"I didn't want to go out being sloppy or letting people down. I always remember me, Paul Robinson, Jono Greening, we always used to run so hard for him, train hard. When we had chance to down tools we downed tools and really enjoyed ourselves. Tony let us get on with it, we'd police the dressing room and huge respect for him, we wanted to give him everything.

"He never really gave me tons of advice, he put an arm around me, reminded what I was good at, gave information with who I played next to, Kamara or Bednar, it was a simple formula - get it forward, to wide areas, Koumas or Brunty, get in the box and do what you do."

With reference to Corberan's organisational work previously, Phillips added: "There's not an awful lot of work to be done in that area. At this stage of the season every player will know their jobs and responsibilities. They've been very good at defending and attacking needs work, who better to bring in than Tony?

"It's quite rare for a manager to come into a job with the team sitting just outside the play-offs, the players they've got, now it's just about momentum. If they can do that, add one or two in the window, then the squad will certainly challenge."

Reflecting on Mowbray's 2006 appointment as a 42-year-old from Hibernian for just his second permanent job, Phillips said: "From the minute he walked through the door he was a breath of fresh air. We all thought we were going to be a long ball team, him being a centre-half, but he was completely the opposite. He wanted to play football fans wanted to come and see and he hasn't changed that, he's done that everywhere he's been.

"He's been through a really stressful and emotional time. Football is a huge business but when something like that happens you all pull together. It shows the calibre of the guy. I'm so delighted to see him back. We all pray and hope he goes on to take the club back to the Premier League.

"I said if he ever wants to pick up the phone and chat to me I would love that, and vice versa, he's always there for me if I need advice. I wish him the very best.

"The club have made a smart choice. He wants to bring that silky, free-flowing football, bring the licence for the attackers to express themselves, get the crowd going and score goals.

"He didn't half get a response from the Middlesbrough game, to score five in the next game. He got a reaction and the players stepped up.

"Hopefully the players can continue that now until the end of the season - otherwise I'll have to get my boots on!"