“Horrible” – Sunderland’s Tony Mowbray names Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth in League One claim | OneFootball

Sunderland head coach Tony Mowbray has labelled League One a “horrible league” due to “massive teams” like Ipswich Town, Sheffield Wednesday, and Portsmouth.

The Black Cats were promoted from the third tier via the play-offs last season and are thriving in the Championship in 2022/23.

Tuesday’s win over QPR at Loftus Road lifted them into fifth place after 31 games and outlined their very real promotion credentials.

Their testing four years in League One must seem a long time ago now for supporters while the sleeping giants in the third tier will surely be looking at them as a blueprint for success.

Speaking to FLW after the 3-0 victory against the R’s, Mowbray highlighted the impressive step up that the Sunderland squad have taken this season and made his stance clear on League One.

“It is a horrible league,” he said. “Even harder now when you think of the teams in it. Ipswich doing so well, Plymouth, Sheffield Wednesday, massive teams, Portsmouth, huge teams.

“It’s hard to get out of. Thankfully, they got out. They finished fifth last year in League One, it’s not as if they ran away and got 100 points and were the best team by miles.

“They finished fifth and they scraped up in the play-offs and now they’re doing exceptionally well in what I believe is a much, much tougher league.

“Better coaches, better players, better athletes, bigger crowds. I think they’re adapting to the division really well and they’re embracing it and enjoying it.”

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Mowbray has a League One promotion under his belt, having taken Blackburn Rovers up in 2017/18, and will be hoping to add Championship promotion with Sunderland to his CV over the next few years – having done so with West Bromwich Albion previously.