Sunderland AFC news: Dan Ballard and Dennis Cirkin latest as Tony Mowbray discusses Luton play-off fixtures
and live on Freeview channel 276
The first leg will be held at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, May 13, before the second match at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday, May 16.
Sunderland still have several first-team players unavailable due to injuries but are on a nine-game unbeaten run heading into the play-offs.
Here’s what was said at the Academy of Light as Mowbray spoke to the media:
RECAP: Tony Mowbray’s pre-match Luton press conference
Key Events
- Sunderland are preparing for the first leg of their play-off semi-final against Luton on Saturday.
- Head coach Tony Mowbray held his pre-match press conference earlier today.
- The second leg will take place at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday.
Mowbray on Pierre Ekwah
“I don’t think he’d played any first team football before he came to be honest.
“We had lots of chats and I’m sure that at some stage Pierre will tell you about the manager moaning at him about intensity, tackle, put your body in, your 6 ft 2.
“He’s got wonderful feet and is a lovely footballer, he fits perfectly into our team. He can manipulate the ball, it’s amazing to see modern day footballers how fast their feet are.
“He just needed the transition from under-23s football, where it was probably a bit easy for him, to the Championship where people actually tackle you, run fast and stick their body in.
“It took a few weeks, maybe a month or so for him to understand that we needed him to show intensity in training. I’m a big believer that your habits are what create the footballer you see on matchdays.
“He had to kick over a few of our players in small-sided games, and now I think it’s second nature to him. Now some of our most fragile players stay away from him because they know he might kick them.”
Mowbray on playing in front of a big crowd
“I try and balance the context of a young side really and the pressure and expectation of such a huge crowd, and yet we want the huge crowd.
“It’s a journey for them really. If they want to play in the Premier League one day where they will play in front of 40,000s, they are going to play in front of 75,000 at Old Trafford, they have to be able to deal with it.
“It is part of the learning curve for them.
“As long as the supporters see a team that is working hard and fighting and chasing for the red and white shirt, I think they’ll forgive ever now and then a missed opportunity, or losing a header from a set-play with a guy seven foot.
“As long as we are giving everything, it’s great. We will be trying our very best to reward the fans for their loyalty this season by trying to win a couple of games over the next few weeks.”
Mowbray on how this season compares to previous years in management
“It’s not something we’ve even discussed to be honest.
“I think there is a humility about the group as well. I talk to people sometimes about humility being the seed of growth.
“You have to know that you have to get better. You have to know your vulnerabilities are there. You aren’t the finished article, none of them are the finished article, they all have to keep working.
“We are miles away from being able to compete in the Premier League as we sit here today, in my mind, when you watch the Premier League every week.
“Yet we went to Fulham who are the time were sixth or seventh and drew 1-1, and scored a marginally offside goal late on that would have won us the game.
“Can we compete? We can compete with the talent that we’ve got, and yet over 38 Premier League games that is very difficult.”
More to come...
That brings us to the end of the broadcast section of the press conference, but Mowbray has also spoken to the written press including our reporter Phil Smith.
We’ll have more from the Black Cats boss and build-up to Saturday’s huge match over on the SAFC section of the Echo website.