Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray outlines club plans for World Cup break - including Dubai trip

Mowbray is eager to further integrate many of the club's summer signings, and to himself build a closer bond with his players.

Though not yet confirmed Mowbray's side could yet play a friendly during their time in the UAE to maintain match fitness and potentially clear the way for a number of key players to return for the visit of Millwall to the Stadium of Light on December 3rd.

Sunderland's squad will have a week off following the trip to Birmingham City on November 11th before heading out on the trip.

"After the Birmingham game the team will basically a week's break to do what they want with their families, to relax," Mowbray said.

"Then we're going to go and do some warm-weather training, and spend the week together as a group. We're going to Dubai, the weather will be good and so it'll be good for the players.

"For me it's about the bonding, I think it's really important that the lads who joined us six or seven weeks ago spend 24 hours a day with us rather than a few and then go off doing their own thing.

"It's important to develop relationships and do things together, and of course we'll be training together a lot.

"The positive for me then as well is that we'll potentially have Ross Stewart with us at that point, potentially Daniel Ballard and Aji Alese. We'll work hard and then relax together as a group.

"We then come back and have a full week to prepare for the Millwall game. I think it'll benefit us and the ally that with us getting some pretty key footballers back, hopefully we can reboot our season and go on and win some more football matches."

Sunderland face Luton Town, Huddersfield Town and Cardiff City before the trip to St. Andrews, marking a key and challenging run of fixtures before the opportunity to reset in the break.