Tony Mowbray press conference RECAP: Head coach provides MAJOR Ross Stewart injury update ahead of Millwall

Bailey Wright revealed the heartbreaking situation surrounding his mother-in-law following Australia’s 1-0 win over Denmark at the World Cup.

The Sunderland defender was brought on in the second half to defend Australia’s lead. Following the game, though, Wright revealed that his wife’s mother was not well and that he was unsure that she was “still with us”.

“I’ve just come in from a message from my wife. I just want to dedicate this to my wife, bless her, and her mum,” the 30-year-old said. “I’ll be honest, I’m not sure if she’s still with us.

“It was, for them, a really tough time back home, but ultimately, it made this possible for me to be here and live one of my dreams so I dedicate that to Tammy. I hope she’s still with us.”

“No one knows. That’s something I’ve kept to myself; we’ve all got a lot going on. Job to do, isn’t it? You’ve got to be professional all the time,” he added.

“When we set out on this journey four years ago, Arnie (Arnold) said to us what he wanted us to be about — our mateship and togetherness is what’s going to make us create history,” he said.

“It’s 11 brothers out there, whoever comes on, and it’s pretty special to be part of that. When you’re part of something like that, it’s difficult to really actually put it into words, what it feels like. It’s a real feeling.

“A few of us have said now that that feeling kind of won the game today.”

Ross Stewart and Daniel Ballard have both been pictured on the Academy of Light training pitches ahead of Sunderland’s Championship match against Millwall.

The Black Cats will play their first competitive fixture for three weeks when they face The Lions at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, following the Championship’s World Cup break.

Sunderland will have defensive trio Lynden Gooch, Dennis Cirkin and Aji Alese available again, after all three returned from injury during a friendly match against Al-Shabab last week.

Stewart and Ballard have been sidelined with long-term setbacks, yet Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray said the pair ‘aren’t far away’ during the squad’s warm-weather training camp in Dubai.

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Stewart has since been training with the main group following the team’s return to Wearside, while Ballard has also been stepping up his recovery on the grass.

After facing Millwall, Sunderland have nine days until their next league fixture when they’ll host West Brom on Monday, December 12.

Tony Mowbray starts off by eating jafacakes

To get the team together during the World Cup was good. It is good to see England doing well. Senegal, we will wait and see what comes next, I have enjoyed watching Brazil, they make it like a basketball game. Watching Messi last night was amazing.

We have started studying Millwall. We will watch a game. The real exciting bits start tomorrow with the knockout stages.

It was a really good trip. It was a time to have all the players together. To see them at breakfast, lunch and dinner. People get to know each other better. We have a bit of a laugh, we had a staff game, it was a good bit of banter. It keeps the whole club connected

Gooch is back and reasy to go. Ellis is back and available for every session. Stewart mixed it up over there. Some training by himself. Today was the first day he has joined in the whole session.

We are just about on the verge of having our main centre forwards available. Diallo has come to the party as well. You can throw Clarke, Roberts, Embleton and Pritchard into that. I have some decisions to make.

Aji Alese is available. We have some choices to make.