Tony Mowbray admits he felt 'part of the furniture' after five-and-a-half years at Blackburn Rovers - but his move to Sunderland has provided the new challenge that has 're-energised' him. Mowbray left Blackburn when his contract ran out at the end of last season and took a much-needed break with his family over the summer before the prospect of leading Sunderland in the Championship provided an opportunity he could not pass up when the job became available at the end of August.
The 59-year-old's brief was to re-establish the Black Cats in the second tier after their promotion from League One, but under his tutelage they have exceeded all expectations, finishing sixth and earning a place in the play-offs where they will meet Luton Town in the semi-final first leg at the Stadium of Light later today. Mowbray enjoyed his time at Blackburn and has nothing but good things to say about the club but, with no new contract offer forthcoming, he decided to leave last summer and says it was the right decision.
"I didn't know where my future was going to be but I was confident enough in my ability," said Mowbray, who left Blackburn along with his long-time number two Mark Venus, who moved with him to Wearside. "We had taken Blackburn from League One to a team that was turning down big, huge, sums of millions of pounds for its footballers and that was competing at the top end of the Championship.
