Tony Mowbray has urged Ellis Simms to be ‘a bit more selfish’ if the forward wants to be a prolific presence in the Sunderland attack during his season-long loan move from Everton.
Mowbray urges Everton’s Simms to be ‘bit more selfish’ during Sunderland loan
Ellis Simms has enjoyed a solid start to life on loan at Sunderland. But the Everton talent’s new Stadium of Light boss, Tony Mowbray, wants to see the 21-year-old become a more selfish presence in the North East if he is to achieve his full potential in the Championship.
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Everton agreed to loan Simms to Sunderland in July whilst Alex Neil remained at the helm after guiding the Black Cats to promotion via the play-offs. But Neil vacated his position to take over the hot seat at Stoke City, with Mowbray arriving as his successor late in August.
Simms had scored three goals in his first two second-tier appearances under Neil, with a brace on debut at Bristol City before netting at home to Queens Park Rangers. However, he has not managed to find a fourth for his tally over his five further appearances so far.
Mowbray has kept Simms as one of the first names on a Sunderland teamsheet since his arrival at the club. The Everton product has started all seven of his showings so far in the second-tier, while only failing to see out the full 90 minutes during two games under Neil.
Stewart injury will give Simms his chance to be the Black Cats’ key striker
Everton loanee Simms will continue to hold a key presence with Sunderland, as the Black Cats have lost Ross Stewart for possibly the next two months. The striker tore a muscle in his thigh whilst warming up ahead of Monday’s 1-0 defeat away to rivals Middlesbrough.
Mowbray is confident Simms will be able to now take over the responsibility of leading his attack, but the Sunderland boss wants the Everton gem to focus on scoring above all else.
“I think Ellis will rise to the challenge,” he said, via The Northern Echo. “As long as he does not put too much of a burden on himself. That’s why the rest have to step up as well. I think for Ellis, the biggest challenge is to play between the sticks when the chances are created.
“I would never tell him not to work hard, but sometimes strikers who work too hard taking themselves away from the goal and chasing down channels, they are the ones crossing the thing when they should be in the middle putting it in the net.
“That is my message to him really. Be a bit more selfish, between the sticks. You have to work hard – and I am sure he will because it is in his nature – but be selfish enough to get in between the posts and finish the chances off.”
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