SUNDERLAND head coach Tony Mowbray believes the club’s long term strategies and investment in youth make him the ideal fit for the job.

After succeeding Alex Neil on Tuesday evening who left the club to join Stoke City, Mowbray got off to the perfect start in his reign as Black Cats boss with a 3-0 win over Rotherham United. A Ross Stewart double and a Jack Clarke solo goal earned them the points on his first outing as boss.

Mowbray is new into his role with Sunderland making the appointment swift following talks last weekend. It’s his first job back in the dugout since leaving Blackburn Rovers at the end of last season.But it was clear to the head coach just how appealing the role was once he had held talks with Kyril Louis-Dreyfus: “Having spoken to the owner, I genuinely think they have got a plan” said Mowbray.

“I didn’t feel as if I needed to get back into football so early. I talked about leaving Blackburn, having a rest, spending time with family, having some holidays and playing football with my kids in the back garden.

“But I feel as if there is a plan from the owners. They are not saying ‘Sunderland have to win the league this year’. They want to grow this club incrementally, they don’t want to spend £100 million this summer. Put talent and quality into your club and let it grow.”

Sunderland’s strategy in the transfer window has been clear from the outset since the new ownership took charge of the club. Lee Johnson provided added plenty of developing talent into the first-team squad during last season’s summer transfer window while all of their ten new signings this summer being under the age of 24.

Perhaps to the detriment of their previous head coach Neil, the youth in the squad is something Mowbray is looking to embrace. However, the experienced players in the squad have a huge role to play for them within the squad.

Mowbray continued: “I talked to them about the senior players. The senior players have to set the standard in the dressing room. Corry Evans and Danny Batths have to leave and they have to be good. They have to set the standard so the kids see how to be a footballer.

“Whether they are too young to be a footballer at the minute, we’ll wait and see. I mentioned Blackburn being the second youngest team in the league behind Barnsley who unfortunately got relegated. This team, there is a lot of talent that we have to let flourish. The senior players have to lead.

“Evans is a wonderful reader of the game and is brave and Batth is an old school central defender in the ilk of myself really who win headers, competes and has a good voice.”

Now that the window has reached it’s conclusion, Mowbray has a largely young squad as his disposal to choose from. The impression they make on the first-team could become part of the club’s sustainable model for years to come.

The hope is that the young squad can add to their sell on value but more importantly in the short term, gain results as Sunderland look to consolidate their position in the Championship.

“Let’s see how far we can take it but every transfer window, lets keep trying to grow good players into the club. The ones that come in, by the next window in a few months will be further developed and before you know it, you have got a club full of talent and the phones ringing from Premier League clubs and clubs in Europe for every player.

“You’ve got them young and they are not earning money where you can’t afford to keep them so I think that’s the plan.

“To keep the fans happy, you have to win football matches along the way. It’s okay having a plan but you have to win games. I think the owners understand we aren’t going to win every match and we are going to have days where it doesn’t work for us but we have to keep believing, pushing on and going together.”

Sunderland’s next head coach is preparing his side to face his beloved Middlesbrough next Monday in the first North-East derby match in four years. Mowbray was in charge of Boro between 2010 and 2013.