Gus Poyet has admitted he was very impressed with Tony Mowbray last season.
Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, the Uruguayan praised Mowbray for his ‘belief and understanding’ and claimed he has always been an admirer of the Black Cats boss.
Poyet spent 19 months at the Stadium of Light and became a cult hero at the club as he guided Sunderland to the Carabao Cup final, did the double over Newcastle United and also performed a miracle to keep them in the Premier League.
The 55-year-old wasn’t able to impress quite as much in his second season and was sacked in March 2015, though he has since been fondly remembered on Wearside.
Sunderland went onto appoint a further nine permanent managers before Mowbray arrived at the club seven years later and Poyet has displayed his admiration for the gaffer.
“What was so impressive last season was I watched one game in the second half of last season and he had practically no defenders,” Poyet said.
“He had a right winger at right back, a right back at centre back.. And they won! I’m thinking: I can’t do that! How do you play like that in that situation? He has that belief in the players and that understanding of what was needed. I think the players look like they connect with him as well and that is important, it can give you something extra.
“I’ve always been an admirer, so I’m not surprised he has done so well.”
Will Tony Mowbray keep Sunderland’s excellent form up this season?
Sunderland have been well known for not managing to keep managers for very long in the past, though they seem to have improved in recent years.
Alex Neil probably still would have been at the Stadium of Light if he hadn’t decided to join Stoke City, while Tony Mowbray certainly has no plans to depart.
There has always been a sense of concern around Sunderland managers going into a new season, but it doesn’t seem like fans are too worried about the 59-year-old.
Mowbray has shown his brilliant work with the young players and there is a lot of positivity around the club, while there is significantly less pressure on the team to perform than there has been in the past.
Hopefully Mowbray can kick on and pick up where he left off earlier this year and perhaps he could be the one to get us back to the Premier League.