Sunderland tracking South American prospects as Tony Mowbray explains his role in club’s transfer process

With the January transfer window still over a month away, Mowbray’s main focus has been on the team’s congested Championship schedule before the World Cup break, while longer-term planning has been taking place behind the scenes.

Mowbray has a good relationship with Sunderland’s Head of Player Recruitment Stuart Harvey, who he worked with at Blackburn, and has also praised the work of Black Cats Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman.

When asked by the Echo about Sunderland’s recruitment planning and his role as a head coach, Mowbray replied: “I think that goes on on a daily basis. I don’t really get involved in it when the games are every three days. I need to focus on the team.

Sunderland’s recruitment plans

“Obviously I know Stuart Harvey really, really well and he lived with me for three years.

“My relationship with Kristjaan is developing strong and good. We’ll sit down and we’ll discuss and all have an opinion on what the team needs and then the ownership have a model that we will try and follow.

“If we need to we’ll sign a 33-year-old if we think it’s going to be crucial to help young players develop and be the type of player we want. Generally we are going to be signing young players who can develop and grow into the team.

“Hopefully we become a really fast, strong, athletic, technically-gifted football team that is full of energy and can give every team problems, and when they want to make it a running game we can run. When they want to make it a football match, we can match them with the football.

“Ultimately we have to keep growing that and every window is an opportunity.”

Exploring the South American market

During the summer Sunderland signed Edouard Michut and Abdoullah Ba from French clubs PSG and Le Havre respectively, while teenager Jewison Bennette arrived from Costa Rican club Herediano – signing a five-year deal at the Stadium of Light.

And with Uruguayan co-owner Juan Sartori owning 30% of the club, it’s been well documented Sunderland are assessing the South American market.

“I think recruitment now is a wide issue,” added Mowbray. “I think is it Brighton are talking about trying to sign an under-20 Brazilian player? Brighton have got a lot of South American players.

"It’s good that we are in the market of South America. When you look at the make-up of our board we have South American influences.

“Recruitment is quite interesting and exciting. I don’t think we are generally in the market for the stereotypical British-type player that might cost over the odds but let’s see.

“The talks including me haven’t really got started but I know my diary has a date in this week where we are going through all of that and we are starting to get involved and will be talking about specific positions, and specific budgets and what we can do. That is coming around the corner.”

Mowbray’s role as head coach

Mowbray also admitted that he prefers his role as head coach, where he doesn’t have to deal with players’ agents and can focus on coaching the team.

"I think that's the way the game has gone,” replied Mowbray when asked about his position as head coach.

“I worked with Stuart over four years at Blackburn. You'd try and give them a template of what you want but I always find it a bit strange.

“Let's talk about centre-halves, well ideally they are 6ft 3in, fast as lightning, they can pass it like Franz Beckenbauer, they are as strong as an ox, but you're not going to get them on a free transfer from Gillingham!

“My point is that you have a budget and you have to match your budget to the talent pool that's out there.

“Where are you looking? Are you looking in the Premier League?

“If you're looking in the Premier League then you are only looking at 18-year-old boys who will come because their club wants you to blood them and give them games at a football club with big expectations and a big crowd.

“Or you go abroad and you nick somebody because he has the attributes that you like. There's no club allowing you to take their players cheaply."

Working within Sunderland’s budget

Mowbray therefore realises Sunderland will have to work with means following promotion from League One last season.

Still, the Black Cats boss believes the club has completed some shrewd business over the last few transfer windows, while looking to recruit younger players who are long-term assets.

"Generally, if you want good players then you have to pay for them,” added Mowbray.

“The world gets to a position of free transfers these days, and you have to be in the market for the best free transfers. But generally if they are available on a free then their agents want a higher salary and I'm not sure at this moment we are really competitive - having just come out of League One - with the top level of Championship salaries.

“It is a conundrum for us, it is tough, and yet on the evidence of the last couple of months it looks like the last window has proven that you can find really good footballers if you look hard enough - and they don't have to cost the earth.”