Tony Mowbray view on "sulking" Sunderland players & pressure from above on Wearside - Iqraa news

TONY MOWBRAY claims it is no coincidence that Sunderland have flourished now they have dispensed with some of the players he was “encouraged” to play, but that “sulked” if they were not in the team.

Mowbray was left cursing his former employers yesterday as Trai Hume’s first-half free-kick enabled Sunderland to beat his West Brom side 1-0 at the Hawthorns.

The Teessider spent a year-and-a-half in charge of the Black Cats, but left after a series of clashes with the hierarchy over recruitment and selection.

Mowbray claimed he was strongly encouraged to play some of the overseas youngsters that were signed during his tenure, even though he was becoming concerned at their attitude and reluctance to integrate with the rest of the group.

Pierre Ekwah, Abdoullah Ba, Adil Aouchiche and Nazariy Rusyn have all left Sunderland since Mowbray was replaced by Regis Le Bris, and the current Baggies boss clearly feels his successor on Wearside is benefiting from the departure of some of the players he felt were becoming problematic during his own time at the club.

“Some of the players we brought in gelled together, but didn’t really become part of the group we had,” said Mowbray, whose West Brom side have fallen out of the play-off places as a result of their weekend defeat. “There were some who might sulk and moan.

“I sit here today, and I look at Sunderland's team, and week after week there is a real consistency of selection. And yet some of the players who, I wouldn’t say I was forced to play, but I was encouraged to play, are no longer at the club.”

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Eliezer Mayenda was one of the players who struggled for game time during Mowbray’s time in charge of the Black Cats, but the former boss insists he never had a problem with the Spaniard, who has flourished this season under Le Bris.

“What I would say about Eliezer is that he’s a wonderful human being,” said Mowbray. “Eliezer is such a nice boy, and he always understood [my decisions].

“If I was explaining why he wasn’t in the team, or what we needed from him when he came on the pitch, it was always just, ‘Yes gaffer’. “I think Mayenda is a wonderful talent and a lovely, lovely lad.”

Mowbray felt his West Brom side did enough to win yesterday’s game, although he conceded their failure to really test Anthony Patterson let them down.

He did, however, congratulate Sunderland for their defensive performance, and praised a number of his former players for the way in which they have kicked on this season.

“Trai Hume, what a footballer,” he said. “(He’s) as good at left-back as he is at right-back. I could talk about them all - Luke O'Nien, Chris Rigg, Dan Neil looks so assertive these days. (Jobe) Bellingham is just getting stronger, strolling through midfield.

“It's a team that I like. It's a shame that (Dan) Ballard and (Dennis) Cirkin are injured at the moment. If you’re a Sunderland fan, you just don't have to hope they don’t sell the crown jewels this summer, because those lads have been together for maybe 200 games now.

“I think you can see the togetherness they have as a result. If they didn't have that, I’m not sure they are able to win that game 1-0. They put their bodies on the line.”