Sunderland build will be 'slower' than people want, warns Tony Mowbray

Tony Mowbray has warned supporters that it will take longer to build Sunderland into a force than ‘people might have hoped.’

A Jack Clarke penalty salvaged a point for the Black Cats at Millwall on Saturday, but neither the result or the performance did much to restore confidence that any meaningful promotion push is imminent.

That is in stark contrast to the summer, when it felt like Sunderland were about to kick on again after losing out in the play-offs last season. Expectations were raised further by Kristjaan Speakman telling supporters the club were aiming for a tilt at the top two this time around.

READ NEXT: Agent reveals Sunderland in talks to extend Niall Huggins deal

However, wins have been hard to come by of late, and Mowbray has now admitted that the build will be slower than many would want due to the ‘developmental’ model at the club.

“I live in a world where you get judged on results,” he told safc.com.

“I want these players to be judged on their performance level, their work ethic, desire to be a better footballer and I’m happy and enjoying the journey with them,

“Of course, you get judged every week on the league table and the points you’ve accrued and so I understand ‘oh didn’t win, that’s three without a win, oh isn’t that bad, it’s terrible that’.

“Listen, I’ve always been a development coach really, try and make the players better, try and make them grow, try and understand and hopefully the results follow. If they don’t you lose your job, that’s fine.

“I understand football, but I think somewhere down the line I hope the players, like a lot of players I’ve worked with over the years, will think that the period they spent working under us that they understood the game better and became a better footballer.

“I hope the line between winning and developing can be found of course, but it’s going to be a slightly longer journey than people might have hoped at this football club because of the inexperience of some of the footballers that we’ve got.”

READ MORE SUNDERLAND NEWS