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Sunderland have shone under Regis Le Bris this season.
Think of it a little like dog years; one season with Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris is equivalent to three with most other managers.
Or at least, that is the strongly held opinion of former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, who worked under the Frenchman during their shared time at FC Lorient earlier in his career.
“Honestly, his results at Sunderland don’t surprise me,” the wire-haired enforcer admitted. “He’s been able to adapt to a league that demands a lot of intensity, using, I imagine, his tactical sense. The coach eats football for lunch, dinner, and sleeps. At Lorient, he was already in his office at 7am and was still working at 7.30pm. He’s meticulous, picky, and doesn’t overlook any detail. A year with him is perhaps the equivalent of three with other coaches. You learn a lot about yourself. Without him, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Of course, the quotes are not new - initially coming to light in May - but the sentiment seemingly holds true, and with every passing week and every passing bloody nose that Sunderland deal out in the Premier League, Guendouzi’s assertion looks more and more vindicated.
When the Black Cats went and signed 14 players this summer in a strident attempt to fend off the spectre of relegation, one of the biggest doubts voiced by those watching on was how they would be able to wrangle so many fresh faces into a functioning unit in such a short span of time. After all, other clubs have tried, and, more often than not in recent seasons, other clubs have failed.
Then again, other clubs haven’t had a head coach who - by Guendouzi’s estimations - is three times as efficient in his work as many of his peers. And whether you’re inclined to believe the Lazio star or not, the early evidence would suggest that he is talking some sense. Just look, for instance, at how well-drilled Sunderland’s defensive line has looked this season, whether it be as a four or a five, and how seamlessly the likes of Omar Alderete and Nordi Mukiele have adapted to life in the Premier League.
Or further forward, the ease with which that midfield trio of Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, and Habib Diarra settled into a state of measured equilibrium, prior to the latter’s groin injury in late September. A lot of the praise, naturally, should be afforded to the players themselves, but Le Bris also deserves an immense amount of recognition.
And then there is Guendouzi’s other salient point, about the meticulousness with which the Sunderland boss approaches his role. Le Bris is nothing if not a pragmatist, and whereas other coaches could be accused of being wedded to their ideologies and tactical beliefs like captains to sinking ships, the Frenchman seems to view each individual game as a unique riddle to be solved.
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When he felt as if Sunderland had lacked a certain element of control against Burnley back in August, he pulled the trigger on reinstating Enzo Le Fée out on the left wing next time out against Brentford so that the diminutive playmaker could drift in-field and provide an extra body as and when required. When he saw his side rocking and reeling under a barrage of Manchester United pressure at Old Trafford earlier this month, he tinkered with his shape and personnel until the Black Cats found themselves on a steadier footing again - albeit, by that stage the damage had been done. And when Sunderland travelled to Chelsea last weekend with the weight of public consensus against them, he learnt his lesson, rolled the dice on a five at the back, and walked away with his biggest scalp of the campaign so far.
All of that is to say that Le Bris is perceptive and adaptable, and not too proud to alter his philosophies for the greater good. Combine that with his ability to convey and implement ideas, as well as his absolute commitment to life in the dugout, and it becomes easy to see why Guendouzi speaks so highly of him, and why Sunderland have started the season at such a canter.
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