Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray is doing a ‘fine, fine job’ at the club, according to sports journalist and Mackems fan Josh Bunting.
The lowdown
The Championship club were left ‘extremely disappointed’ by the abrupt departure of Alex Neil in the early weeks of the season as he took the vacant manager’s job at Stoke.
However, the Black Cats moved swiftly to appoint his replacement in Mowbray, who was out of work after leaving Blackburn Rovers at the end of the 2021/22 season.
On Saturday, Sunderland twice came from a goal down to earn a point away to Watford, with Jewison Bennette netting the second equaliser in the 87th minute.
The latest
Bunting took to Twitter to offer his reaction to footage of Mowbray’s post-match interview at Vicarage Road after it was shared by Sunderland’s official Twitter channel.
He called the 58-year-old ‘a great pair of hands’ who had lifted the mood and the performance levels at the Stadium of Light since he took over.
He wrote: “I can’t say it enough, I love this man. He’s kicked us on and yes it won’t always be good but he’s a great pair of his hands to have at this football club.
“The games he’s been in is the best we’ve played all season as a unit. He’s doing a fine, fine job at this football club.”
The verdict
Sunderland are going well in the Championship, having only been promoted in League One this year, and Mowbray is a big part of that, taking seven points from a possible 12 so far.
Since he took over, he has overseen comfortable 3-0 victories against Rotherham and Reading, as well as the fightback against Watford. The only blemish so far is a 1-0 defeat away to local rivals Middlesbrough, but the Black Cats still sit in the play-off places after 10 games.
The quality of football on his watch has also been championed, with Sky Sports marvelling at a potential ‘goal of the season’ against Reading last week after an impressive team move, so it’s little wonder that Bunting has been so glowing in his praise for Mowbray.