'Special' West Brom-linked Blackburn defender has glowing Tony Mowbray reference

West Bromwich Albion-linked defender Darragh Lenihan has previously been described as a 'special footballer' by Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray.

The 28-year-old defender was appointed as Rovers' captain in the summer by the former Albion boss after spending the last 11 years in Lancashire, six of which were with Mowbray as manager. In fact, no player has been used more by the Blackburn boss at the club than Lenihan, with the former Republic of Ireland international making 190 appearances for the 58-year-old.

Now the pair look set to end their association with Rovers at the same time this summer. Both have contracts that expire at the end of June, with the club captain now being linked with a free transfer to Mowbray's former club.

After a 4-0 win over Birmingham City, who Rovers sign off the season against this weekend, Mowbray singled out Lenihan for effusive praise. "I need to mention Lenihan," the Blackburn boss told LancsLive after the win. "He has the added responsibility of being captain. That requires leadership and he's showing that, he's standing out like a man mountain.

"I'm delighted for Darragh. He's right at the top of his game at the moment. You can tell by the way he plays on the front foot, he's towering over people six inches taller than him.

"His passing looks so assured. I just think he has clear pictures in his mind of how we want to play and what his job is. I know I was one who found it difficult to play with composure yet be aggressive but he's found the magic combination.

"I would either go to war and kick lumps out of everybody and head everything but I found it really hard to pick the right pass because I was so wound up. On other days I'd feel like Beckenbauer and yet I couldn't win