Key factor behind Sunderland decision to sack Tony Mowbray comes to light | OneFootball

Highlights

The relationship between Sunderland and Tony Mowbray was strained at the end of last season.

According to The Northern Echo, the veteran coach made post-season comments in the club’s debrief that went ignored.

Despite accepting that he was not a major figure when it came to recruitment, the 59-year-old was still reportedly disappointed to be ignored by the club going into the summer transfer window.

Mowbray identified a number of issues with the young squad at the Stadium of Light following the 3-2 aggregate loss to Luton Town in the play-off semi-finals.

The former Sunderland boss wanted to bring in more experienced players to the squad that could deal with the physical demands of competing for promotion to the Premier League.

What issues did Tony Mowbray have at Sunderland?

Mowbray was dismissed from his role as manager of the club on Monday evening following a poor run of form after the November international break.

However, the splinters began much earlier than that, with speculation over his future starting in the immediate aftermath of their loss to the Hatters.

Francesco Farioli was linked with taking the reins of the Black Cats, but Mowbray was ultimately kept on.

The 34-year-old was eventually hired by French side Nice, who are currently second in the Ligue 1 table after 14 games.

Meanwhile, Mowbray struggled to gain any control over the recruitment side at Sunderland, with only one of his shortlisted players signed by the club.

Bradley Dack was brought in as a free agent on a one-year deal and the move was done quite cheaply, which made it an easy decision for the Wearside outfit.

Otherwise, recruitment doubled down on their previous approach by bringing in youth-orientated signings on low wages and small fees with the goal of giving them first team opportunities to try and sell them for a major profit in the future.

Where are Sunderland in the Championship table?

Sunderland have struggled to maintain their competitiveness compared to the previous campaign, with Mowbray leaving the side ninth in the table.

The gap to the play-off places is just three points after 19 games, but it remains to be seen who will replace Mowbray as manager.

No concrete names have been mentioned as of yet as Sunderland searches for a new manager.

Mowbray arrived in August 2022, lasting around 15 months in charge at the Stadium of Light.

Next up for the Black Cats is a home clash against promotion rivals West Brom on 9 December.

Did Tony Mowbray deserve more time at Sunderland?

Mowbray did extremely well to get Sunderland into the play-off places last season, given the club had just been promoted from League One.

It was a competitive squad, but injury issues posed serious questions throughout the campaign and he often found smart solutions that kept them competitive.

It was a difficult summer window, in particular the club’s failure to improve their forward options.

Mowbray should have been given more time to turn things around this season, but it is clear that his relationship with Sunderland was reaching a low point that perhaps made a change necessary, all things considered.