Tony Mowbray has explained the approach to man-management that has brought the best out of his young Sunderland players as they reached the Championship play-offs. The Black Cats exceeded all expectations by finishing sixth in their first season back in the second tier, before losing 3-2 on aggregate against Luton Town in the semi-final.
But while there was disappointment at having come so far only to fall at the final hurdle and miss out on a Wembley appearance, Sunderland fans have praised the football their team has played all season long. And Mowbray and his coaching team deserve credit for that as they have moulded a young, inexperienced, team that has been beset by injuries into a unit that finished ahead of teams such as Norwich City, Watford, and West Brom, all of whom were among the bookies' favourites for a top six place this term.
"It's not about me," said Mowbray, modestly. "I love footballers. I try to make them feel special. I just want them to express their talent.
