'Class and quality' - Sunderland boss pays tribute to Tony Mowbray after amazing gesture

Sunderland interim boss Mike Dodds has spoken about the 'class and quality' of Tony Mowbray as the former Black Cats boss battles illness.

Mike Dodds has paid tribute to Tony Mowbray as he battles illness, revealing the former Sunderland boss showed his ‘class and quality’ in a personal phone call this week.

Mowbray announced on Monday that he would be temporarily stepping away from the dugout and training ground to receive urgent medical treatment, with long-time assistant Mark Venus taking over at the Blues in the meantime.

Dodds worked closely with Mowbray at Sunderland, and he says the news has rocked the dressing room on Wearside, causing obvious ‘upset’ to the players and staff.

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“Tony spoke to me after the game on Saturday,” Dodds said, “so I was aware of the situation before it came out on Monday.

“I thought it was important that the players heard it from me on Monday before it broke on social media, so I spoke to the players on Monday around it. They were upset.

No details have been revealed about the nature of what Mowbray is battling, and he asked for privacy for himself and his family when confirming the news he was taking a leave of absence.

Dodds, though, says the news has made him realise what a huge influence Mowbray has had on him personally.

“It's amazing when something like this happens to a good man you reflect and you don't realise the influence they've had on you,” he said.

“So I'll be honest with you, Sunday was a really difficult day for me, personally. And I know for a lot of the other staff - Alessandro [Barcherini] and Michael Proctor - it was shock and. We were really, really disappointed for Tony.

“From a personal perspective, I know the club put a statement out, but from a personal point of view, we just wish Tony all the best.”

Dodds had his own big news on Monday, taking interim charge of Sunderland following the sacking of Michael Beale, who replaced Mowbray in December.

He, though, says Mowbray still took the time to call him directly to congratulate and encourage him – a gesture which he says shows the measure of the man.

“I have spoken to him,” Dodds said. “I think this sums up Tony. He's obviously going through what he's going through.

“Then in the week, he has the class and quality to pick the phone up to me and wish me all the best and say some really nice things about me when he's got his own things going on. I think that says everything about Tony.

“So, from personal experience, I just want to wish Tony all the best. I want to wish Mark Venus all the best at Birmingham in terms of stepping in because they're two really, really good people.

“[To] Amber and his three kids, from everyone from the first team and everyone associated with all the club, we wish him well. We hope he's back in the dugout soon as possible.”

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