Tony Mowbray has offered his verdict on the development of Jewison Bennette and Abdoullah Ba at Sunderland.
The Black Cats boss has admitted that the pair would have hope to have ‘broken through that glass ceiling’ after joining the club last summer, but is understanding of the difficulties they have faced.
Both players were highly-rated when they arrived from Costa Rica and France in 2022, with the duo having to learn a new language and also move countries as teenagers.
Bennette made 15 appearances in the Championship last season, while Ba appeared in 29 games as he was handed more of an opportunity towards the end of the campaign.
However, neither player are yet to enjoy a major breakthrough and will be hoping they can challenge the likes of Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts this time round.
Jewison Bennette and Abdoullah Ba are yet to ‘break through the ceiling’ at Sunderland
“I’m sure they would have hoped to have broken through that glass ceiling but in my mind they have got a very difficult task, they are trying to dislodge Patrick Roberts or Jack Clarke from our team because we see them both being wide attackers really,” Mowbray said.
“They’re still working on the language and therefore that natural integration. I don’t have the stats to hand on how much they’ve played but it feels to me as if Abdoullah would be well into double figures for appearances in the Championship and is that progression for him? I think so.
“Jewison has come off the bench a few times and again, he’s really delicate of age, he’s still only 18 I think. So I don’t sit here and judge other than that they need to keep working, improving their weaknesses after training with the coaches.
“Jewison needs to keep working on skipping past people and putting good quality crosses in, on getting to the back stick when it’s on the opposite flank. Abdoullah has got wonderful talent and dynamic talent, and we feel he’s probably better cutting in from wide rather than playing in the middle. I think he just has to be patient and the days where it’s not quite working for Clarke, he becomes the option. There were good signs against Real Mallorca, for example.
“They’re doing OK. And I think that’s OK, if that makes sense. They’re young lads trying to break through at a Championship club and that’s not easy, you don’t just turn up and get in the team. They’re young players who have to try and break in and there is tough competition for them in their positions. “