Sunderland have used the January transfer window to bring in players for the future with Joe Anderson and Isaac Lihadji among their latest intake - but Tony Mowbray intends to give them a taste of matchday atmosphere as quickly as possible. Deadline day addition from Everton Anderson is only 20 and as a centre-back, when everyone is fit and available, has players such as Danny Batth, Dan Ballard, Luke O'Nien, and Aji Alese ahead of him.
But Anderson will make the trip to Millwall this weekend as Sunderland prepare to face the Lions at The Den. And fellow new boy Lihadji, who arrived from French side Lille, could also make the trip to London, although he has a meeting this afternoon to finalise his work permit and Mowbray will decide then whether to bring the 20-year-old forward along to the Millwall game.
"If Isaac didn't have this meeting, he'd be on the coach with us," said Mowbray. "We may yet decide to put him in a cab or whatever to get him there.
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"Joe will be on the coach with us. I think it's important they get a feel of being part of the group and the team on a matchday, and the message we send to them and the way we want to play.
"How far away are they [from playing]? I think circumstance will dictate.
"Centre-halves, we were talking about Luke O'Nien being available again [after suspension] next week and Joe will be behind Luke to get back in the team."
Anderson was Sunderland's only deadline day signing, and Mowbray has been impressed with what he has seen of him on the training pitch. He said: "Watching him in training, he is really, really impressive.
"He's got a wonderful left foot and in my eyes he is a modern-day defender - if you want to play with the ball he can control the game, stand there, see where the press is coming from and pick the right pass. He raps the ball in to number tens and number eights and to strikers.
"I think he's going to be a real positive for us moving forward, but whether that is next week or next season, I don't know at this moment. It's just good to have him around and I can see the quality on the training ground straight away."
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