Sunderland AFC have taken the decision to sack former Celtic defender and manager Tony Mowbray. The Black Cats are ninth in the EFL Championship, but just three points away from the play-off places. After parachuting in last season when Alex Neil went to Stoke City, Mowbray took newly promoted Sunderland to the playoffs, playing attractive football.
However, his year and a half stint in the role at the Stadium of Light is now at an end after the club confirmed the decision in an announcement on Monday evening.
Sunderland AFC has this evening parted company with Head Coach Tony Mowbray.#SAFC
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) December 4, 2023
Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman praised Mowbray for the impact he had made at the club.
“All at SAFC have thoroughly enjoyed working with Tony and he is quite rightly held in high regard by our players and staff, and our supporters.
“After arriving at an uncertain time, he helped guide us to the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs and played an important role in developing our team. This was a difficult decision to make, but we remain loyal to our ambition and our strategy, and felt that now was the right moment to take this step.”
Also departing is former Celtic coach Mark Venus, who served with Mowbray in 2009-10.
We would like thank Tony for the positive contribution he has made throughout the past two seasons alongside his assistant Mark Venus, who also departs.#SAFC pic.twitter.com/LRBFgIR2iu
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) December 4, 2023
The central defender turned coach played for Celtic four nearly four years in the early 1990s and was the popular choice for the job having enjoyed impressive spells at Hibernian and West Brom. As we know now, Mowbray’s tenure was short lived.
Mowbray’s football at times was very attractive and was the Celtic way. However, defeats to lesser oppositions and failing to win the big games meant that even without the humbling in Paisley, he would have found it a tall order to retain his job.
Celtic were beaten 4-0 by St Mirren as Mowbray’s era crumbled in the midweek fixture. You would be hard-tasked to find defending that bad in an amateur league as the Buddies couldn’t believe their luck.
Mowbray and Celtic were an unfortunate marriage at a time where Celtic began to cutback. Unlike Strachan’s sides, who were pragmatic and could win ugly, Mowbray’s sides forfeited defensive robustness for pretty, attractive football and ultimately, results will be hindered by this. He was, and still is, highly regarded by the Celtic support as a man – even if his managerial tenure was disappointing.
