Tony Mowbray will take charge of Sunderland's game against Rotherham United tomorrow night after being confirmed as the Black Cats' new head coach. The 58-year-old has signed a two-year contract on Wearside, and will succeed Alex Neil who left Sunderland and was confirmed as Stoke City's new boss on Sunday.
The former Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Celtic manager was at the Academy of Light this morning to finalise the details of his appointment and he met the players and took charge of training ahead of tomorrow's game. Mowbray said: "I grew up in the North East and I always remember my experiences at Roker Park with great fondness – the emotion, passion and size of Sunderland AFC.
"This is a huge opportunity to continue the good work that has taken place over the past two years and I hope the supporters can see that this football club is on its way back. It is a journey – I’ve just come from Blackburn Rovers and like here, it was a rebuilding process – but we want to win and we will be aggressive.
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"The players must understand what they are fighting for because they are the standard-bearers for the city and win, lose or draw, we must ensure those who come to watch us see a team that gives everything in every game."
Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman added: "We have absolute clarity in the principles by which we are working and believe Tony is best placed to support our continued growth as a club. We have great admiration for the work that he has undertaken in previous roles and throughout our process, he was able to clearly evidence his alignment to our ambitions.
"He has the personal values that we want to promote and that our supporters will naturally respect, whilst also possessing a strong understanding of the region and the people we represent. We have an abundance of enthusiasm, energy and ideas at the club and I have no doubt that Tony's influence will go far beyond the field of play."
There was no mention in the announcement of any staff coming in to work alongside Mowbray, but with Neil's number two Martin Canning expected to follow the Scot to Stoke, Sunderland's new boss is likely to bring in his longtime lieutenant Mark Venus who has worked with him at every previous club he has managed.
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