Sunderland fell short in the play-offs but Tony Mowbray wants to return for another crack at the Championship with with the Black Cats next season - although he admits he does not know what his future holds. The Black Cats suffered a 2-0 defeat against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road in the play-off semi-final second leg which overturned Sunderland's 2-1 first leg lead, with the Hatters progressing to the Wembley final against either Middlesbrough or Coventry City on Saturday week.
After finishing sixth in the table on their return to the Championship, Sunderland must now look to use that as a platform on which to build. But Mowbray's future has been a source of speculation in recent weeks with reports emerging suggesting that the club might be considering a change of head coach - a move that would be perplexing, to say the least given the progress they have made this season and the fact that the 59-year-old still has another 12 months left on his deal.
Mowbray said he was proud of his players and the club's supporters but, asked about his future in the immediate aftermath of the defeat at Luton, he said: "I've enjoyed it, but who knows what my future holds. Let's wait and see.
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"Do I want to be here next season? I do, yes.
"But let's wait and see how it goes, and what the summer brings. I don't know what will happen next. I'll just get on with it. I've got a contract so I'll just keep going.
"I only mention that [his contract] off the speculation off recent weeks. Let's wait and see. Do I feel insecure? Not at all. Modern-day football clubs can do what they want.
"I'm pretty relaxed. I feel like I've come in here and managed to work with these young players, create a team environment that has done alright despite huge losses of some very important footballers."
Gabe Osho scored the early goal that put Luton ahead on the night and that levelled the tie on aggregate, before skipper Tom Lockyer added the second just before half-time and it was that goal that proved decisive.
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