Sunderland have come a long way in the 12 months since Michael Beale’s disastrous appointment on Wearside, and the club now looks destined to return to the Premier League.
Last season was a disappointing one for Sunderland, with the Black Cats finishing 16th in the Championship.
The Wearside club dismissed Tony Mowbray halfway through the campaign, Mike Dodds had two stints as caretaker manager, and Michael Beale endured a difficult two-month spell in between.
Now, Regis Le Bris has Sunderland on course for promotion, and the Frenchman looks to be an incredible hire, highlighting the progress the Sunderland owners have made recently.
Sunderland head coach Michael Beale during the Sky Bet Championship match between Huddersfield Town and Sunderland at John Smith's Stadium on Febru...
Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images
On this day: Sunderland appoint Michael Beale
Despite leading Sunderland to a top-six finish in their first season back in the Championship, Mowbray and his side fell short in the play-offs, and the start to the 2023/24 campaign did not go to plan.
Mowbray lost his job on December 4, 2023, with Dodds taking over for the next fortnight before Beale was given the top job at the Stadium of Light.
Beale lasted two months and one day in the role, taking charge of just 12 matches for Sunderland. He won just four games during that time.
Statistic Michael Beale for Sunderland
Games managed 12
Games won 4
Games drawn 2
Games lost 6
Points-per-game average 1.17
Data via Transfermarkt
Beale’s tenure began with a heavy 3-0 defeat at home to Coventry City, but things picked up over the festive period with two wins and a draw.
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In the New Year, a 3-0 battering at the Stadium of Light against fierce rivals Newcastle United in the FA Cup did Beale no favours.
By mid-February, Beale had lost the dressing room and the fans had turned on him, and from there, he had no way to course-correct.
Beale recently claimed ‘snakes’ affected his decision-making in various roles, and Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman even admitted he made a mistake hiring Beale.
Beale, meanwhile, has landed on his feet after his nightmare spell on Wearside. The former Sunderland manager is now assistant to Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.
Sunderland Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sunderland and Derby County at the Stadium of Light i...
Photo by Michael Driver | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Sunderland owners have made hugely positive changes since
Thankfully, things have turned a real corner for Sunderland this season. Regis Le Bris was hired in the summer, and the Black Cats are now fighting for promotion under the Frenchman.
Indeed, Sunderland have been commended for having what it takes to go up this season, and Le Bris has very quickly instilled a gritty resilience in his young squad, as well as getting them playing exciting football, too.
From the haphazard dismissal of Mowbray and short-sighted appointment of Beale, Sunderland’s owners have obviously learned a very valuable, painful, and costly lesson.
Sometimes, it takes mistakes like that to grind out progress in the long-term. With Le Bris at the helm, it would appear Sunderland are well-equipped for the future.
Now, Sunderland will just be hoping they can keep hold of Le Bris, as Premier League clubs are sure to start paying attention to his great progress.
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