Sunderland have appointed Regis Le Bris as their new head coach.
Sunderland have recently appointed Regis Le Bris, 48, as their new head coach, with the Frenchman signing a three-year deal at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman went through an arduous search process following the sacking of Michael Beale in February.
Several candidates came in and out of contention including the likes of Will Still and Liam Rosenior among others.
Le Bris’ arrival as manager has received mixed reviews from Sunderland fans after Le Bris guided Lorient to relegation from Ligue 1 last season.
The former Stade Rennais youth coach spent two seasons with Lorient, eventually leaving with a 30.26% win record.
After an agonising four-month search for Beale’s successor at Sunderland, journalist Phil Smith has now asked ‘the big question’ of Le Bris’ arrival.
‘The big question’ after Regis Le Bris appointment at Sunderland
Sunderland made a bold call in first of all hiring Beale, and then sacking him after just 12 games in charge.
The club placed first-team coach Mike Dodds in charge until the end of the season in order to give themselves time to find the right man for the job.
But whether or not Le Bris proves to be the right man, and whether or not the four-month managerial search proves to be worth the wait, is ‘the big question’.
Journalist Phil Smith said on The Roar: “I think the big question is; that rubbish end to the [2023/24] season where it just completely drifted, and it felt like the club was lacking leadership… The whole idea was, this will give the club time to get a really high-calibre candidate who’ll be available in the summer.
“Is Regis Le Bris that guy? That’s the question. We don’t know. And that’s where this will sink or swim.”
One man holds all the cards in potential Regis Le Bris success at Sunderland
Le Bris certainly takes on a difficult job, and in difficult circumstances.
Sunderland fans lost a lot of faith in the running of the club over the whole manager fiasco and Le Bris’ arrival after relegation with Lorient doesn’t serve him overly-well upon his arrival on Wearside.
But whether or not he succeeds is largely down to Speakman and what he does in the summer transfer market.
If Speakman persists with a focus on youth and fails to sign a prolific striker once again, then Le Bris and Sunderland will struggle.
And if Speakman and Louis-Dreyfus offload all of the club’s best players during the summer transfer window then it’ll make matters very difficult for Le Bris.
There needs to be a balance with the comings and goings, and more balance within the playing squad this summer.
Speakman certainly has a lot of amends to make with fans, but he can start by making some positive moves in the summer transfer window.