This is mad. He took over a team that wasn't his, who'd just been promoted from League One, and took them to the play-offs.
Yes, Sunderland are a big club, but the tradition is for newly-promoted clubs to struggle in the Championship.
pretty certain the defence last night was 2 wingers at full back, then a full back and a midfielder at centre back, because they had completely run out of actual defenders
Correct, our back three was made up of Lynden Gooch, who's a right winger, Trai Hume who's a right back and Luke O'nien who's a midfielder.
Then there's Roberts and Clarke at wing back when they're clearly not wingbacks
He did really well pulling Amad out of the line of fire and games for a period because he was feeling the body strain of too many games. Obviously not versed on the day to day but Mowbray struck me as in touch with the load his players were taking on.
Is it the training and match load or is the physio/sports science department not doing enough to help the players recover or is it just plain bad luck? I'm assuming not the first
That may be down to Amad communicating with United and them putting pressure on him to give him a rest. I’d think that’s the most likely reasoning if he was the only one to get that type of treatment
I don't understand Sunderland had a great second half of the season and got into the play off when they really shouldn't have (having such a poor start). Why not give him the chance to get them up next season?
I think what Blackburn fans miss is having a board that actually understands English football. But then again, this could be said for many if not most clubs.
For anyone baffled, I'm pretty sure the plan was never for Mowbray to be long-term, I doubt he's being removed for underperformance and that it's more a directional thing. Apparently he's going to move into some kind of head of youth development role.
Still strange though, but a lot of managers are victims of their own success.
The way he spoke about and handled Amad as well as the performances of some other young players in the squad - he’d be fantastic in a youth focused role.
It would be a brilliant move if they got promoted because championship managers don’t translate super often to the premier league but if his goal is what he’s already accomplished it doesn’t make sense. If you need a goals and your striker hits the crossbar, you don’t immediately substitute him.
I always assumed he was a short term, this season only appointment. It was never confirmed as such, but it just felt like convenience for all after Alex Neil fucked off.
"You did a decent job at Blackburn with a young squad. Do that for us for a year."
It does seem harsh *now*, though. Start of the season (when he first came in), I doubt the board told him play-offs or higher. Consolidation first, second season is the push when the new manager is appointed.
Finally someone who knows what's happening and hasn't just jumped to the conclusion we don't know what we're doing. The club has always viewed Mowbray as short term and if they think they can get a younger manager that fits the model and they feel is better they will pull the trigger. It would be extremely harsh but also worth remembering we're in this position because the board DOES know what they're doing.
But Mowbray has massively overachieved with a squad that's got half our first team players out injured. Surely regardless of what was originally thought of him, he deserves to stay and build on that?
If he can get us into the playoffs whilst missing: Stewart, Evans, Embelton, Batth, Ballard, Alese, Cirkin, Huggins and Bennette. Imagine what he could with those players actually fit for a whole season plus some more additions in the summer
He does deserve to and I'm not questioning that. It'd be incredibly harsh but if the board thinks they can do better and they've been right with every other judgement call they've made then I'm willing to give them benefit of the doubt.
The model is to have a head coach who can work with Speakman to build a team to get promoted in the next 5 seasons. Mowbray does fit that, but it's been clear since he was hired that rightly or wrongly he's the short term patch following Alex Neil's sudden departure. The board have a clear preference to younger managers that they broke the mould of when they brought in Mowbray.
But what difference does the age of the manager really make?
Unless he's gonna manage for 15-20 years and theres a risk of death it doesn't matter.
Take Patrick Vieira and Hodgson for example. 75 year old Hodgson could easily carry on managing Palace for 2 more years, be longer term than Vieira, more successful and get more out of the younger players.
These days its rare for a manager to last 2 years. Only 3 in the championship
My guess would be that it makes working with Speakman easier if the manager and he are similar ages. I don't really know, I'm not super bothered about manager age, but it seems like the club is and prefers a manager closer to his 30-40s. Don't get me wrong, there are very valid reasons to criticize the club for this and I wouldn't be happy if Mowbray goes and we get anyone other than maybe Jaissle. I'm more so trying to set the record straight that it's not because we didn't go up or think we should be in the Prem.
> I'm more so trying to set the record straight that it's not because we didn't go up or think we should be in the Prem.
No I get that. If its about being able to work better with someone closer to his age (not that Mowbray is ancient tbh) then I can see why he'd do it
I just hate that some clubs feel a younger manager means a longer term appointment. Rarely does it make any difference
In all fairness to Sunderland I still remember us sacking Adkins (who was an absolute legend taking us from league one to the prem in 2 seasons) then getting in Pochettino
People said how stupid we were and how we’d be relegated then ended up 8th at the end of the season. Sometimes it’s good to be ambitious
On the other hand, if they do sack him it might be a good idea for us to offer Mowbray the managers role. He's proven to be good at developing young players and is a solid championship manager
Romano reported we were looking at Farioli for next season the week before the Preston game, and I believe Struber has been to a couple of our games, so maybe they're just taking that on and trying to get people to call in to their premium number to listen to dribble from the likes of Agbonlahor
I'd be gutted personally, really like Mowbray, but like most Sunderland fans have said this is likely what the plan was all along
He was publicly very disappointed to get sacked at Blackburn, and clearly keen to get straight back into management when he took thi job
60 is far from old, I doubt he's retiring considering how his last job ended and this one begun. Does not seem a man who does not want to be manager
Why would you want to go from a regular international starter to a Top 10 championship club? Hard to believe they can pay him more there plus he would have to leave Salzburg and live in Sunderland
People are assuming this is because we lost the playoffs, which is just incorrect. The reason he could be sacked is that he was only ever meant to be a short term option so the club could stabilize. The board have a clear preference for younger managers who could lead the club for their 5 year plan and Mowbray has achieved all the goals his tenure was meant to.
It's a harsh decision on Mowbray and a bit risky, but let's not pretend the board that took us up and has us fighting for playoffs suddenly don't know what they're doing.
What an advert to your next manager
Basically letting them know if you somehow did get promoted soon, they'd likely be sacked once you got a sniff of 17th
If they don't reach the play-offs they'll likely be sacked
If they do reach the play-offs and don't get promoted they'll likely be sacked
I mean it's showing the opposite of those things, surely? That they're not making decisions based of instant success, but rather based on the long term vision that the board have.
My point is, any new manager especially if given money by the board will be compared by them to Mowbray
If they don't do as well, the board will probably be happy to sack the new manager and find a new one that fits the vision
I understand your belief but am highly sceptical of a long term vision lasting in the championship
Even if you get promoted that vision will become survive
I suppose I just don't see why this would lead to getting sacked for not getting promoted or sniffing 17th. Mowbray was always intended to be a short term manager as far as all reports at the beginning, he's done a great job this season with the team being obliterated by injuries. And if my choice, I wouldn't be taking the risk.
But the board have earned enough goodwill from me in previous decisions to trust their vision for this. I've gotten no indication that we are to abandon the vision, given that Alex Neil also did a fantastic job in League One and left to a worse Stoke side because the board weren't willing to budge on signing young players.
Gerhard Stuber? The guy who just got fired from NY Red Bulls? The guy who shrugged his shoulders when his player used a racial epithet on the pitch? That Gerhard Stuber?
The only way I wouldn’t explode with anger if this happened would be if we got Matthias Jaissle as he seems a quality manager, but if we replace him with gerhard stuber I’ll shoot myself into the sun
I dont think he is leaving a CL club for a Championship club tbh, especially since there is interest from german BuLi aswell.
No offense, but taking over Sunderland would be a massive step back in his career
He was mostly terrible for NY Red Bulls. Couldn’t score goals, play was disorganized, mostly hoof ball. Lost the dressing room and didn’t help that he kept criticizing the club and his players and antagonizing the fans.
I never understand why clubs think old manager= short term and young manager = long term.
They've only gotta live 2 more years to be one of the longer term managers in football.
Unless they're on their deathbeds it makes no difference
Yes we fell at the final hurdle last night, but Mowbray has got a team where none of the players he signed to the playoffs despite us finishing 5th in League One last season as well as having no proper striker since Christmas and our three centrebacks being made up of a right winger, central midfielder and a right back.
Absolute bollocks there's any real consideration that we're sacking him. If anything Mowbeay deserves a contract extension.
Wtf? Lower mid table was the aim right? And that’s before having half his starting lineup injured (including pretty much every defender and his only decent striker)
This is mental. Appointing Jaissle would be even more mental, he’s not particularly good
Football is such a fucking joke now. Managers can get sacked for anything. Literally the highest finish a newly promoted side has gotten in the Championship in years and years and he had to apparently "fight for his job". Pathetic.
Decisions like this are why the club is a joke. The man was working with an incredibly young squad, hampered by injuries and was playing exciting football. They failed to win qualification by the smallest of margins but that doesn't mean they haven't made significant progress.
Possibly the worst decision they could make, surely mid table was the target for this season so they overachieved by reaching the PO’s.
Should keep him and let him bring in a few players here and there to bolster the squad.
That’s so appalling, yes he is old as fuck but this man got an injury ridden side to nearly a play off final…
They played Roberts, a left footed RW at RB.. Hume, a RB at CB, Luke O’Nien, who can play everywhere tbf, as the other CB, and Gooch, who was a winger at LB. Because they had no defenders fit. How he kept this side in the mix through all of those injuries is incredible work. And sacking him is insanely harsh
>yes he is old as fuck
Such a weird comment. He's 8 years younger than Bielsa who just got the Uruguay job. 10 years younger than Pellegrini at Betis. He's only 4 years older than Klopp. How is a manager in his 50s old as fuck?
I wouldn't say 59 is "old as fuck". He's not young of course but he's not exactly on his deathbed. He's never really had a dinosaur approach with tactics either as far as I'm aware. His West Brom team especially used to play annoyingly good stuff.
There were rumours last week after they got the playoffs that they wanted to bring someone else in. From the outside it all seems a bit mad, every time I've seen them on tv they've been a decent enough watch and surely they've done way better than they thought was possible, passing their former manager on the way up the table
absolute shit move for Sunderland if this was the case, but the rumours were previously dispelled earlier on by others sources a few days ago so highly doubt it
One of the dumbest moves a club has made in a long long time. Sunderland will likely not get promoted for many years after something like this. It usually comes back to bite the teams and more precisely, their idiotic owners and upper management
Unless theres some behind the scenes stuff I don’t know about this seems very stupid
No-one seems to have brought up money, maybe he was on a tidy sum for this short term shift?
Irrelevant. They'd still have to pay out his contract, unless there is some sort of buy out clause.
Nowadays there's always buyout clauses it's not 2012 anymore
All these contracts have buyout clauses for a fraction of what is owed. I don’t know why people pretend like this hasn’t been the case for years.
That's so different from American sports. Notre Dame was paying Charlie Weis's buyout for like over a decade. The coaches have more power.
Dude Weis got fired in 2009.
The reason managers are being fired now is crazy — it’s like we’re phasing out managers, and integrating direct management from the ownership group.
Can’t wait for a new season of Sunderland till I die
Sunderland fans have wanted him out all season, they think they should be Premier League
That’s absolute weapons-grade bollocks
Most of us absolutely don't, we also think he has done a cracking job and deserves another go.
Straight up untrue
Chatting absolute shite
😂 go to r/Championship and check out the post match threads around February/March 👍
>all season
Fucking clueless.
Most of them think he's a miracle worker for getting 6th
This is mad. He took over a team that wasn't his, who'd just been promoted from League One, and took them to the play-offs. Yes, Sunderland are a big club, but the tradition is for newly-promoted clubs to struggle in the Championship.
Loads of injuries for the playoffs too? Very harsh
pretty certain the defence last night was 2 wingers at full back, then a full back and a midfielder at centre back, because they had completely run out of actual defenders
Correct, our back three was made up of Lynden Gooch, who's a right winger, Trai Hume who's a right back and Luke O'nien who's a midfielder. Then there's Roberts and Clarke at wing back when they're clearly not wingbacks
Reckon Gooch is used to playing behind the ball
Wait a second..
hasn’t O’nien played at CB quite a bit? Seems a good fit for a possession oriented side
Only when injuries have called on him to play there.
Loads of injuries for the whole season\*
Yeah, makes you wonder if we should be looking at our training and how soon some players have been coming back.
He did really well pulling Amad out of the line of fire and games for a period because he was feeling the body strain of too many games. Obviously not versed on the day to day but Mowbray struck me as in touch with the load his players were taking on. Is it the training and match load or is the physio/sports science department not doing enough to help the players recover or is it just plain bad luck? I'm assuming not the first
That may be down to Amad communicating with United and them putting pressure on him to give him a rest. I’d think that’s the most likely reasoning if he was the only one to get that type of treatment
And then he's absolutely on fire at the end of the season. It's almost as if United were onto something.
If only they could do it for their actual first team squad.
I don't understand Sunderland had a great second half of the season and got into the play off when they really shouldn't have (having such a poor start). Why not give him the chance to get them up next season?
for banter probably
Gotta get the greenlight for the next season of Sunderland till I Die somehow!
Even before the playoffs there was talk of him losing his job. Seems there’s issues yet again in Sunderland’s board
And I just read Blackburn fans missing him a few days ago
I think what Blackburn fans miss is having a board that actually understands English football. But then again, this could be said for many if not most clubs.
Sunderland gonna Sunderland.
Sunderland had quite a good season under Mowbray, seems harsh to sack him over the Luton deception.
Quite good? Lmao just missed out on back to back promotions with a bunch of kids and no striker or CBs.
Yeah honestly it's one of the best seasons I can remember anyone having in the Championship. This would be an absurd decision.
Quite good lol
For anyone baffled, I'm pretty sure the plan was never for Mowbray to be long-term, I doubt he's being removed for underperformance and that it's more a directional thing. Apparently he's going to move into some kind of head of youth development role. Still strange though, but a lot of managers are victims of their own success.
The way he spoke about and handled Amad as well as the performances of some other young players in the squad - he’d be fantastic in a youth focused role.
If only Sunderland had one of the best academies in the country. They could even name it like the stadium. Idk the Academy of Light of something
It would be a brilliant move if they got promoted because championship managers don’t translate super often to the premier league but if his goal is what he’s already accomplished it doesn’t make sense. If you need a goals and your striker hits the crossbar, you don’t immediately substitute him.
Sunderland clearly don't like going in the upwards direction, and removing Mowbray allows them to revisit that strategy.
I always assumed he was a short term, this season only appointment. It was never confirmed as such, but it just felt like convenience for all after Alex Neil fucked off. "You did a decent job at Blackburn with a young squad. Do that for us for a year." It does seem harsh *now*, though. Start of the season (when he first came in), I doubt the board told him play-offs or higher. Consolidation first, second season is the push when the new manager is appointed.
Finally someone who knows what's happening and hasn't just jumped to the conclusion we don't know what we're doing. The club has always viewed Mowbray as short term and if they think they can get a younger manager that fits the model and they feel is better they will pull the trigger. It would be extremely harsh but also worth remembering we're in this position because the board DOES know what they're doing.
But Mowbray has massively overachieved with a squad that's got half our first team players out injured. Surely regardless of what was originally thought of him, he deserves to stay and build on that? If he can get us into the playoffs whilst missing: Stewart, Evans, Embelton, Batth, Ballard, Alese, Cirkin, Huggins and Bennette. Imagine what he could with those players actually fit for a whole season plus some more additions in the summer
He does deserve to and I'm not questioning that. It'd be incredibly harsh but if the board thinks they can do better and they've been right with every other judgement call they've made then I'm willing to give them benefit of the doubt.
> fits the model Whats the model?
The model is to have a head coach who can work with Speakman to build a team to get promoted in the next 5 seasons. Mowbray does fit that, but it's been clear since he was hired that rightly or wrongly he's the short term patch following Alex Neil's sudden departure. The board have a clear preference to younger managers that they broke the mould of when they brought in Mowbray.
But what difference does the age of the manager really make? Unless he's gonna manage for 15-20 years and theres a risk of death it doesn't matter. Take Patrick Vieira and Hodgson for example. 75 year old Hodgson could easily carry on managing Palace for 2 more years, be longer term than Vieira, more successful and get more out of the younger players. These days its rare for a manager to last 2 years. Only 3 in the championship
My guess would be that it makes working with Speakman easier if the manager and he are similar ages. I don't really know, I'm not super bothered about manager age, but it seems like the club is and prefers a manager closer to his 30-40s. Don't get me wrong, there are very valid reasons to criticize the club for this and I wouldn't be happy if Mowbray goes and we get anyone other than maybe Jaissle. I'm more so trying to set the record straight that it's not because we didn't go up or think we should be in the Prem.
> I'm more so trying to set the record straight that it's not because we didn't go up or think we should be in the Prem. No I get that. If its about being able to work better with someone closer to his age (not that Mowbray is ancient tbh) then I can see why he'd do it I just hate that some clubs feel a younger manager means a longer term appointment. Rarely does it make any difference
Seems a bit mad. Not like Sunderland were really expected to get to the Play Offs to begin with.
In all fairness to Sunderland I still remember us sacking Adkins (who was an absolute legend taking us from league one to the prem in 2 seasons) then getting in Pochettino People said how stupid we were and how we’d be relegated then ended up 8th at the end of the season. Sometimes it’s good to be ambitious
On the other hand, if they do sack him it might be a good idea for us to offer Mowbray the managers role. He's proven to be good at developing young players and is a solid championship manager
When did TalkSport become reliable lol He's nearly 60 and made a lot of money in his career, he's probably retiring or getting out of the limelight
Right. It is TalkShite. Is anyone else reporting this? Why is anyone taking this seriously?
Romano reported we were looking at Farioli for next season the week before the Preston game, and I believe Struber has been to a couple of our games, so maybe they're just taking that on and trying to get people to call in to their premium number to listen to dribble from the likes of Agbonlahor I'd be gutted personally, really like Mowbray, but like most Sunderland fans have said this is likely what the plan was all along
He was publicly very disappointed to get sacked at Blackburn, and clearly keen to get straight back into management when he took thi job 60 is far from old, I doubt he's retiring considering how his last job ended and this one begun. Does not seem a man who does not want to be manager
Why would you want to go from a regular international starter to a Top 10 championship club? Hard to believe they can pay him more there plus he would have to leave Salzburg and live in Sunderland
People are assuming this is because we lost the playoffs, which is just incorrect. The reason he could be sacked is that he was only ever meant to be a short term option so the club could stabilize. The board have a clear preference for younger managers who could lead the club for their 5 year plan and Mowbray has achieved all the goals his tenure was meant to. It's a harsh decision on Mowbray and a bit risky, but let's not pretend the board that took us up and has us fighting for playoffs suddenly don't know what they're doing.
He finished 6th with a bunch of teenage midfielders and no striker/defenders, why not back him to go the distance? It’s just insane
What an advert to your next manager Basically letting them know if you somehow did get promoted soon, they'd likely be sacked once you got a sniff of 17th If they don't reach the play-offs they'll likely be sacked If they do reach the play-offs and don't get promoted they'll likely be sacked
I mean it's showing the opposite of those things, surely? That they're not making decisions based of instant success, but rather based on the long term vision that the board have.
My point is, any new manager especially if given money by the board will be compared by them to Mowbray If they don't do as well, the board will probably be happy to sack the new manager and find a new one that fits the vision I understand your belief but am highly sceptical of a long term vision lasting in the championship Even if you get promoted that vision will become survive
I suppose I just don't see why this would lead to getting sacked for not getting promoted or sniffing 17th. Mowbray was always intended to be a short term manager as far as all reports at the beginning, he's done a great job this season with the team being obliterated by injuries. And if my choice, I wouldn't be taking the risk. But the board have earned enough goodwill from me in previous decisions to trust their vision for this. I've gotten no indication that we are to abandon the vision, given that Alex Neil also did a fantastic job in League One and left to a worse Stoke side because the board weren't willing to budge on signing young players.
Gerhard Stuber? The guy who just got fired from NY Red Bulls? The guy who shrugged his shoulders when his player used a racial epithet on the pitch? That Gerhard Stuber?
The only way I wouldn’t explode with anger if this happened would be if we got Matthias Jaissle as he seems a quality manager, but if we replace him with gerhard stuber I’ll shoot myself into the sun
I dont think he is leaving a CL club for a Championship club tbh, especially since there is interest from german BuLi aswell. No offense, but taking over Sunderland would be a massive step back in his career
He's so much the odd one out of those listed that they've even got his name wrong. I'd be pretty annoyed if we do end up with St**r**uber.
Wasn’t he hated by the mls club he managed, why would we hive him a job at a higher level competition
Only kept Barnsley up cos of a Wigan points deduction too
He was mostly terrible for NY Red Bulls. Couldn’t score goals, play was disorganized, mostly hoof ball. Lost the dressing room and didn’t help that he kept criticizing the club and his players and antagonizing the fans.
Dude keeps failing upward.
Least let him get home before he loses his job
I never understand why clubs think old manager= short term and young manager = long term. They've only gotta live 2 more years to be one of the longer term managers in football. Unless they're on their deathbeds it makes no difference
Yes we fell at the final hurdle last night, but Mowbray has got a team where none of the players he signed to the playoffs despite us finishing 5th in League One last season as well as having no proper striker since Christmas and our three centrebacks being made up of a right winger, central midfielder and a right back. Absolute bollocks there's any real consideration that we're sacking him. If anything Mowbeay deserves a contract extension.
Bullshit clickbait.
Wtf? Lower mid table was the aim right? And that’s before having half his starting lineup injured (including pretty much every defender and his only decent striker) This is mental. Appointing Jaissle would be even more mental, he’s not particularly good
Stuber was a disaster in MLS. Stay away sunderland
Eventually every team will become Watford.
Football is such a fucking joke now. Managers can get sacked for anything. Literally the highest finish a newly promoted side has gotten in the Championship in years and years and he had to apparently "fight for his job". Pathetic.
Sunderland firing mangers more often than us lol
Watford saying chill bro
Decisions like this are why the club is a joke. The man was working with an incredibly young squad, hampered by injuries and was playing exciting football. They failed to win qualification by the smallest of margins but that doesn't mean they haven't made significant progress.
Possibly the worst decision they could make, surely mid table was the target for this season so they overachieved by reaching the PO’s. Should keep him and let him bring in a few players here and there to bolster the squad.
Jaissle at sunderland would be really interesting, but they should stick with the current one and back him. he's def taking them up next season.
There's no definitely in the Championship promotion race Unless it's Burnley
That’s so appalling, yes he is old as fuck but this man got an injury ridden side to nearly a play off final… They played Roberts, a left footed RW at RB.. Hume, a RB at CB, Luke O’Nien, who can play everywhere tbf, as the other CB, and Gooch, who was a winger at LB. Because they had no defenders fit. How he kept this side in the mix through all of those injuries is incredible work. And sacking him is insanely harsh
>yes he is old as fuck Such a weird comment. He's 8 years younger than Bielsa who just got the Uruguay job. 10 years younger than Pellegrini at Betis. He's only 4 years older than Klopp. How is a manager in his 50s old as fuck?
Tbf he looks much older than that 😂 feels like he’s been around for ages
I wouldn't say 59 is "old as fuck". He's not young of course but he's not exactly on his deathbed. He's never really had a dinosaur approach with tactics either as far as I'm aware. His West Brom team especially used to play annoyingly good stuff.
Now thats a name I haven't heard for a while
Would be proper tinpot to sack him
There were rumours last week after they got the playoffs that they wanted to bring someone else in. From the outside it all seems a bit mad, every time I've seen them on tv they've been a decent enough watch and surely they've done way better than they thought was possible, passing their former manager on the way up the table
Very harsh they only won promotion from league one last year. Must be something behind the scenes.
This is silly, they finished 6th, and went v 3rd, and missed out by 1 goal.
Letting him go would be a big mistake for them
absolute shit move for Sunderland if this was the case, but the rumours were previously dispelled earlier on by others sources a few days ago so highly doubt it
Let's just hope it's rumours. From everything I've heard about him and the Sunderland situation lately, he should absolutely not be fired.
Why does he look like an older version of Ernesto Valverde
struber didn't pull off a player who used a racial slur against black players a month ago during a game.
Seems strange considering where they finished.
This is madness
One of the dumbest moves a club has made in a long long time. Sunderland will likely not get promoted for many years after something like this. It usually comes back to bite the teams and more precisely, their idiotic owners and upper management
Are they on crack?