Sunderland have gone from strength to strength under Regis Le Bris’ guidance
The Black Cats head coach took over at the Stadium of Light last summer, leading his side to a long-awaited promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. Since then, Le Bris has also enjoyed a positive start to the life in the top flight, taking six points from his first three matches this term.
Prior to moving to England, the 49-year-old had spent a mixed spell in charge of FC Lorient, leading the French outfit to a lofty Ligue 1 finish in his first campaign, before suffering relegation under difficult circumstances.
And in a recent appearance on talkSPORT, Petit outlined both the details of Le Bris’ time in his home country, as well as the scale and success of the job he has done at Sunderland.
What has Emmanuel Petit said about Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris?
The 1998 World Cup winner said: “Since he [Le Bris] came to the club, I think they get promoted, and it was probably the best start of his career after a couple of weeks last season. So, he did a very good job the first season with Lorient in France, and he was about to move, I think at the end of the first season, and then he was staying with the club against his will. And this season, Lorient was relegated, and things turned differently, and it was a big turning point.
“Since he came last season to England, I think he did a great job, and you have to understand as well the relationship inside the club because there is a French spine from the top of the club to the dressing room, so it looks like a French revolution actually in Sunderland.”
The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join ourSAFC WhatsApp channel.
What has Regis Le Bris said about Sunderland’s start to the season?
Speaking after a recent 2-1 victory over Brentford, during which Wilson Isidor scored a stoppage time winner for the Black Cats, Le Bris praised Sunderland’s spirit. He said: “I am happy and we went until the end. We tried to win this game and it was really positive, the way we managed the game with two different halves.
“We controlled the first half without scoring or creating too many chances. The second half was chaotic, but these are two important parts of the same game. We showed a good ability to manage the second half and that was really positive.
“I told the players from the beginning of the season that we will have starters and finishers, and that was really important today because in the Premier League we are always on the edge. Fine margins are everywhere, so if you can give this extra high energy then you can change the momentum - and that was the case today. The story of the game had different moments which are important, and sometimes one decision can change everything.”
Continue Reading