TONY Mowbray discussed the steps taken to prepare Nazariy Rusyn for his first start with Sunderland and expressed optimism about the young striker’s performance against Norwich City.
Mowbray has been deliberate in introducing Rusyn to life at Sunderland since his summer transfer. However, the manager felt it was time to grant Rusyn his inaugural start against Norwich and give Chelsea loanee Mason Burstow a well-deserved break.
Mowbray explained, “We made an early decision to provide the young player with some rest. The pressure of scoring goals as a young loanee who hasn’t experienced this level can be challenging. While we wanted to keep offering him opportunities, the ultimate goal is for the team to win and score.”
He emphasized that Rusyn, despite being a new arrival, is a 25-year-old with valuable experience, having undergone training and played in Under-21 games. The decision to put him in the starting lineup was a deliberate one, as he was signed as a central striker, not as a winger.
Mowbray also shed light on the preparations made to ensure Rusyn was ready for his full debut. He mentioned the presence of Timur Tuterov, a translator for Rusyn, in all team meetings throughout the week. To assist Rusyn further, they even conducted a presentation in Ukrainian to aid his understanding.
Mowbray expressed his satisfaction with Rusyn’s performance, highlighting his hard work and growth during the game. He suggested that Rusyn is likely to retain his place for the upcoming match against Swansea City and encouraged him to continue seizing opportunities and, ideally, scoring goals.
Mowbray also mentioned that the same sentiments applied to another player, Hemir, and that having multiple strikers scoring would be a welcome situation. He acknowledged that there are plenty of games ahead, and the entire team is putting in their best effort.