Non-league boss talks Sunderland transfer relationship and Tony Mowbray connection

South Shields manager Julio Arca has once again discussed the connection between the Mariners and Sunderland regarding potential loan deals - and discussed his admiration for Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray.

Shields have taken players on loan from Sunderland in recent seasons with striker Harry Gardiner spending time at the club last campaign as Kevin Phillips' side won promotion to the National League North.

Previously Sunderland also sent Bali Mumba to South Shields on loan back in 2020 before the youngster moved on to Norwich City and then Plymouth Argyle.

Former Middlesbrough and Sunderland player Arca is now in charge at Mariners Park having replaced Phillips but played under Mowbray when the Black Cats' head coach was Middlesbrough's boss.

"Tony Mowbray is one of the managers that I liked the philosophy of what he played. What he did at Sunderland last year was unbelievable. I don't think Sunderland have ever played like that before," Arca told the UnderTheCosh Podcast recently.

"Even under Peter Reid, we did well and we finished seventh but that wasn't the style of football it was more long ball and direct but Mowbray brought something different to the club. People have tried to do it before but it hasn't worked out.

"I remember under Gus Poyet when he was here at Sunderland, he tried to do that and it didn't work out but Tony tries young players and players that aren't well known and it really paid off. The style has totally changed.

"I pick up good things and bad things from all managers I've worked with. There's always good and bad things. They do it in different ways and you learn from that."

Asked if he could lean on Sunderland and Tony Mowbray for young players on loan from the Academy of Light, Arca said: "You could do. The thing is, when you bring players from the academy, ideally you want to play them.

"That's what they are coming to you for. If you're going to bring them and put them on the bench or have them play 10 or 15 minutes then that doesn't do anything for you and it doesn't do anything for them."

Speaking about the under-21 and youth systems in English football, Arca added: "I'm more a fan of going back to reserves. You know, when you played against the reserves you played against men. You could play against someone who was a first-team player but back playing in the reserves like I did."

"South Shields have had a few players come from Sunderland," Arca added, "Bali Mumba. He was a young player. He decided to go from Sunderland to South Shields, down in the leagues and have a right go and then went from South Shields back to Sunderland. Sunderland to Norwich and from Norwich to Plymouth.

"Sometimes you have to go down to come back up but some players don't want to know about that. They say they would rather stay where they are. Again, it is a mentality thing."