Sunderland transfer news: What Tony Mowbray said about Everton's Ellis Simms, free agents and Millwall

Sunderland are preparing for this weekend’s Championship fixture at Millwall – and head coach Tony Mowbray held his pre-match press conference earlier today.
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The Black Cats have been left short of options up front after missing out on a deal to sign another striker on transfer deadline day.

An injury to Ross Stewart also means the side will be without their top scorer for the remainder of the campaign.

Still, Sunderland will be hoping to build on last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Premier League side Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Here’s what was said at the Academy of Light as Mowbray spoke to the media:

RECAP: Tony Mowbray press conference

Key Events

  • Sunderland are preparing for their Championship fixture against Millwall at The Den this weekend.
  • Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray will be held his pre-match press conference earlier today.
  • Sunderland missed out on signing another striker at the end of the transfer window.
  • Top scorer Ross Stewart has been ruled out until the end of the season.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Tony Mowbray’s pre-match press conference ahead of this weekend’s meeting with Millwall.

The Black Cats boss is set to speak to the media at 9am this morning, and we’ll have live updates from the Academy of Light.

Stick around and refresh the page for the latest Black Cats news.

Kristjaan Speakman interview

We’ll start with Sunderland’s frustrating end to the transfer window after the club’s attempts to make another striker signing fell short on deadline day.

Ross Stewart’s injury at Fulham, which means the striker will miss the rest of the season, and Everton’s decision to recall Ellis Simms means Sunderand have been left with just one recognised centre-forward, Leeds loanee Joe Gelhardt, for the remainder of the campaign.

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman spoke to Phil Smith yesterday and gave this response when asked about the end of the window:

“Going into the Fulham game we were really comfortable having brought Joe into the mix. We weren’t anticipating doing another deal at that point, albeit there were other things that we were still looking at. It’s difficult I think at that point getting in a third striker who is comfortable behind Joffy and Ross. We were looking at some different profiles to potentially add for the future, but we were comfortable.

“That has obviously changed by half time at Fulham when we have a chat as a recruitment team and it’s clear we have to readdress it. You then have three days to try and do something.

“In that time, the opportunities there that we felt would either maintain or enhance the quality we’ve got in the team didn’t materialise, and there are a lot of factors within that. And there were some that as a club, across the board and the recruitment and the coaching staff and Tony in particular, we didn’t feel they would enhance the squad even as that additional nine.

“With Ellis, you can’t rely on other organisations and so for us, we went into deadline day thinking that there were four players who we felt we had a chance of signing on loan.

“Ultimately, they opted to stay at their clubs or ultimately weren’t allowed to leave their club. Ellis was one of those players.”

In terms of team news for this weekend’s fixture, it’s been confirmed Sunderland top scorer Ross Stewart will miss the remainder of the season with an Achilles injury.

Captain Corry Evans is also set to miss the rest of the campaign after suffering damage to his anterior cruciate ligament, while Elliot Embleton is recovering from a long-term setback.

Alex Pritchard (calf), Dennis Cirkin (hip) and Lynden Gooch (hip flexor) have been sidelined in recent weeks and are nearing a return to action.

Aji Alese was substituted at half-time against Fulham last weekend after struggling with an issue, while Luke O’Nien is still suspended following his red card against Swansea.

We should get more information from Mowbray this morning.

“For the football team it’s obviously a huge blow.

“He’s a big personality around the group and I think the team feels safer with him on the pitch.

“He missed three months when I first came here.

“We have to find a way really. Now Amad has come to the fore, Joe Gelhardt is here who is an exciting prospect and we see how exciting the team can be with these technical, fast players.

“We have to do it on match days of corse and the challenge for these lads without is to get enough bodies in the box to help us win matches.”

On Stewart’s recovery: “You just hope there is a smooth rehabilitation.

“The medical department will have a clear plan for him and we look forward for the days we can get him back on the pitch.”

“We talk a lot about bringing in the right characters and the right people.

“Everyone around football had seen Joe develop at Wigan.

“Around training he just wants to play football and is excited at the opportunity to come and play.

“I think for Joffy I feel as if he will feel now he is going to play and we are going to rely on him to score goals.

“I think we are all excited to see how he fits in with Amad, Patrick and Jack.”

“The fixture list is the fixture list.

“I said after the game at Fulham both managers could probably be without the replay but you don’t want to be out of it.

“The positive for me is I say to them they are young lads.

“Ultimately they get judged on what’s on the pitch. Days seem to disappear when you are doing a lot of travelling like this.

“I hope they are young enough and full enough of love for the game and don’t feel fatigued.”

“When I look at us now we have to play to our strengths and have to go and play.

“It’s how you want to play and I believe with the players we’ve got and talent that we’ve got we have to be able to pass and play, and I think they enjoy doing that.”

Mowbray on returning to league action

“The league is always your bread and butter.

“We have total focus on it and the balance is to try and bring training down too much.

“Playing against Millwall away is probably as tough a game as you can have.

“The noise the fans make and the drive the supporters give their team is like an extra man.

“We have to get to the levels we can get to and find the same intensity levels that we showed last weekend.”

“We have looked at every market and discussed the free players.

“At the moment we are happy to do with what we’ve got.

“I say happy but we were left disappointed with some of the targets that we had.

“I think it’s right to say there is a plan and we are trying to create an identity and a culture and I think it’s important that the right players come in that we identify and go through the processes.

“I would prefer to go into these games with the players we have got than bringing in any number nine because he has a number nine on his shirt.

“If he doesn’t fit the culture and identify and what we are trying to coach into the team, I think it’s more important to keep on doing what we are trying to do.”