Tony Mowbray says Jewison Bennette's transatlantic move to Sunderland from Costa Rica is an 'amazing story' after the teenager announced his arrival with a late equaliser at Watford. The Black Cats signed the 18-year-old winger towards the end of August but he has been introduced into the first-team gradually, making his debut as a sub in the midweek win at Reading and following that with another substitute outing against the Hornets yesterday.
And Bennette made himself an instant hero when he scored his first goal in English football just a couple of minutes from time to secure a 2-2 draw for the Wearsiders at Vicarage Road. The Costa Rica international speaks no English and Mowbray is keen for him to learn quickly to help him fit into the squad, but at present Bennette is letting his feet do the talking.
"Jewi doesn't speak a word of English, he just smiles at everything you tell him as if he understands, but he doesn't understand," said Mowbray. "He's going off to South Korea this week with Costa Rica to prepare for the World Cup.
READ MORE: Tony Mowbray's verdict after Sunderland's draw at Watford caps a productive week on the road
"It's an amazing story for that kid because he literally finds it difficult to understand anything, so I just have to put him in a position and let him run with the ball. I think early on in his career in England he is going to surprise a few full-backs or defenders because of how dynamic he is.
"He's very diminutive, he looks like a little kid coming on the pitch, but he's electrically fast and he's exciting."
Bennette was not the only new addition to get in on the action at Watford, with French midfielder Abdoullah Ba - who joined from Le Havre last month - making his debut from the bench, while on-loan Manchester United wideman Amad Diallo also came on as a sub. Mowbray said: "Listten, if they hadn't done it training then I wouldn't have brought them on.
"You have to earn the trust of a football manager. I've got the trust in them to bring them on because they are positive, they are direct, they play with a smile on their face, they want to do extra work.
"They are young kids with a mission and a goal to play in the English leagues, and you have to give them their opportunity - you can't keep knocking them back and leaving them on the bench. They got on yesterday and they showed everybody in those red and white shirts behind the goal that these kids look like they could be something good.
"I wouldn't be putting them on the pitch if I didn't think they could make a difference, and yesterday they did. You can look at the bench and say it's full of 18 and 19 year olds, but the reality is they come off the bench and make a difference in the game so we'll see how the season unfolds and how much gametime they get.
"Sometimes the lads in the team can look at new players and think who are they, how good are they, are they there to replace me? But they'll see the impact and see how they help us get points and win football matches, so the camaraderie and culture of the football club tightens as they integrate."
He added: "I need to mention Jay Matete as well - the lad came from Fleetwood Town [last season] but when he came on he looked really assured and powerful."
Of Ba specifially, he said: "He's away with France U20s, he flew off last night. He's very talented, it's just that they haven't trained very much so because of the games it is hard to get the work into them.
"We've had no U21 games because of the situation following the death of the Queen, so it has made it hard to get minutes into them and then it becomes hard to put them into a Championship match when they haven't played for four or five weeks."
The language barrier is a factor that Sunderland intend to address, with Ba and Edouard Michut having arrived from France while Bennette currently speaks only Spanish. Mowbray said: "These young lads can't really communicate with their teammates yet but I will be talking to the sporting director [Kristjaan Speakman] about more English lessons.
"Rather than going and sitting in the hotel and watch the telly, why aren't they doing lessons? We will as a football club try to speed that process up.
"Then they will be able to develop relationships quicker, they will become one of the lads. They [Ba and Michut] sang their initiation songs in French and nobody knew them, so they got clapped off pretty quickly!"
On-loan Aston Villa forward Keinan Davis put Watford in front ten minutes before half-time, before Aji Alese scored his first goal for Sunderland to equalise on the stroke of half-time. An own-goal by ex-Watford man Luke O'Nien put the Hornets back in front in the second half, but Bennette earned his side a point in the final minutes.
Sunderland moved up to fifth place in the Championship, and will resume their campaign in a fortnight's time following the international break, when Preston visit the Stadium of Light.
READ NEXT:
- Bennette, Clarke and Roberts star as Sunderland earn a 2-2 draw at Watford
- Watford 2-2 Sunderland report as Jewison Bennette strikes late to earn Sunderland a point
- Sunderland's Tony Mowbray on playing 'football-savvy' Alex Pritchard as a false nine
- Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray explains defender Bailey Wright's absence at Reading
- Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray makes Blackburn transfer admission amid Niall Huggins injury update
