Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has been speaking to the French press...
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has emphasised the importance of the Stadium of Light crowd in shaping the way that his team play, drawing parallels between the Black Cats and European royalty such as Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
Over the course of Le Bris’ tenure - and especially since they made the step up to the Premier League last year - the Frenchman’s side have developed a reputation for their fearsome home form, aided in large part by the cacophonous atmosphere generated by their supporters.
And in a fresh interview with French publication L’Equipe, Le Bris has admitted that the full-blooded approach Sunderland take at the Stadium of Light and the vocal nature of the home crowd make for a symbiotic relationship that he has deliberately tried to harness - in much the same way that some of the biggest teams on the continent do.
He said: “That sense of roots is the connection with the fans. When they come to the stadium, what makes them react, get excited? It’s linked to who they are as a community. What gets the crowds going here is commitment, team spirit, a hard tackle à la Trai Hume!
“We create something original and powerful if we pay attention to what we’re part of. When I formalised the game plan, I took that into account. What does it mean when the stands react to a tackle? It means our way of defending has to be a very risky man-to-man defence.
“This has a dual benefit in football terms. PSG play like that, Bayern Munich too. It’s not original in itself, but it’s a choice and we’re going to commit to it fully because it’s effective and modern and it’s also completely in line with our club identity.”
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Le Bris also reflected on the significance of Sunderland qualifying for next season’s Europa League, and where the feat sits in the club’s long and storied history. He added: “It’s easy to put into words, it’s a historic moment. The club has played four European Cup matches so far. It’s set to play eight more, which in itself, is huge. It’s defining a generation of supporters.”
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