I dunno, Bruce was seen as a safe pair of hands with a solid track record of getting teams promoted when we gave him the job (shudder), and also lots of experience managing in the premier league
Mowbray has 1 promotion from the championship with west brom 15(ish) years ago, if he hadn't been harshly sacked by Sunderland I don't think the clamour to get him in would have been so enthusiastic
Mate