Asked if he thinks the striker will be a big player in the division, Mowbray told CoventryLive after the weekend’s goalless draw: “I had Ellis from September to January and then he went back to Everton. He scored seven really important goals for me.
“I think he is great. What he does is work his socks off for every game and runs the channels. I think he has still got a lot to learn, he is still a young boy, but he will give you everything every game and chase everything down and use that physicality and he will score goals for you.
“Whether he will score 25 is another question but he will bring real honesty to the position and integrity. I had him for four months. I didn’t know him that well but some of his seven goals were pretty important for us.
“As a striker he gets into positions. He is a young player who needs to grow his career and has got the right coach working with him, I’m sure.”
Simms made way for Haji Wright with just over 20 minutes to go against the Black Cats when the USA international almost snatched a winner in a lively contribution from the bench.
Explaining his selection decision to pick Simms over Wright to face Sunderland, Coventry manager Mark Robins said: “Ellis has been brilliant in training this week. He’s been really good. His levels have gone up again, which is great to see because it’s obvious that he hadn’t done a great deal before he came here and he’s obviously playing catch-up.
“But I need them all to be bubbling to get close to top level, and that’s only going to come with games and a bit of time, but I think he was better, and he has been better this week.”
He added: “He had a chance when he came inside and you are thinking he might just take that extra touch and then hit it.”
Asked if he fancied him to do well against his former loan club, Robins said: “Well it’s not just that because I look at the performances in training that I see every day. And it was the right call to start him in this game today. I also have to think about what comes next and I am going to need them. When I need him and call upon him and expect him to do a job it’s not going to happen if he’s not played.”