Sunderland expect to confirm Tony Mowbray's longtime number two Mark Venus as the club's new assistant head coach over the next 48 hours. Mowbray was installed as head coach on Wearside on Tuesday night and oversaw his first game the following day, as the Black Cats beat Rotherham United 3-0 at the Stadium of Light.
But with his predecessor Alex Neil taking his assistant Martin Canning with him to Stoke, there is a vacancy for a second in command in the Sunderland dugout and Mowbray wants to bring his own trusted lieutenant to the club. Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman says Venus has been at the club for talks and his arrival should be finalised before the Black Cats face Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Monday night.
Asked whether he would be bringing Venus to the club, Mowbray said: "I would like to, and Kristjaan will know better where that one is."
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And Speakman added: "The answer to that one is 'yes'. Mark has been up and we are in the final admin stages because it has moved really quickly over the last few days, hasn't it?
"We had the conversation with Tony over who he felt was the best person to work alongside him. We've alwayys said that we feel a head coach should have somebody that understands them, when you are trying to pick up momentum really quickly.
"We'll be really pleased if Mark can join us officially over the next 48 hours."
Mowbray and Venus were teammates at Ipswich Town and have worked together in management for 18 years at Hibernian, West Brom, Celtic, Middlesbrough, Coventry City, and Blackburn Rovers. At Sunderland, they will continue to work with existing coaches Mike Dodds and Michael Proctor who were brought into the first-team set-up by Neil over the summer.
Mowbray said: "The balance is good, because the two Mikes - Dodds and Proctor - are really bright, sharp, coaches. Doddsy delivers really good sessions, he drives them with his voice, he is really positive, and Proc is really knowledgeable and not just out on the grass but also of the players' personalities.
"They are a big help to me. I think that combination of Mark [Venus] at 55, me at 58, and two young coaches, is really good.
"I'm learning all the time and I've kept telling them to keep giving me their thoughts, their opinions."
He continued: "Mark is a very different person to me. We're different human beings - I'm more touchy-feely and emotional around my players, while he is very much 'we need to do this and that'.
"That's fine, and it's worked for 18 or 19 years to an OK level, and if you add in these two bright young coaches who have strong opinions and are articulate, it will be good and we are looking forward to it."
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