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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Louise Taylor

‘Never too soon’: how Tony Mowbray made Sunderland playoff contenders

Édouard Michut and his teammates celebrate a goal against West Brom in April
Sunderland have a chance of promotion via the Championship playoffs, where they face Luton Town in the semi-finals. Photograph: Manjit Narotra/ProSports/Shutterstock

Amad Diallo cost Manchester United £25m and Édouard Michut trained alongside Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé at Paris Saint-Germain, but they receive no special privileges from Tony Mowbray.

The Sunderland manager’s insistence on good habits – on and off the pitch – involves all players, star loanees included, routinely brushing down their boots and hanging them on the correct peg. Instead of allowing dirty shorts and socks on the dressing room floor, they must be picked up and turned inside out, ready for the kit man to place in the washing machine.

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