Sunderland’s Resurgence: How Regis Le Bris Is Rebuilding the Black Cats

Since Regis Le Bris arrived at Sunderland in the summer of 2024, the Championship clubs project has been remarkable with the Frenchman’s incorporation of young and exciting talents. These include players such as Jobe Bellingham, Chris Rigg, Romaine Mundle, Tom Watson, Eliezer Mayenda, and the recent statement signing of Enzo Le Fee.

The latest signing shows Sunderland’s attractiveness in their project, players and manager. With the club 4^th in the Championship and positions from 1^st to 4^th having just three points separate them, it is looking likely that Sunderland could be back in England’s top flight next season. Let’s dive into how they are doing this.

The Manager: Regis Le Bris

Regis Le Bris is a 49-year-old French manager who previously managed FC Lorient and coached in FC Lorient’s youth setup. Le Bris was head of academy coaching at Stade Rennais and Wasquehal.

The Frenchman faced relegation last season in Ligue 1, finishing second from bottom, conceding the most goals in the league, and struggling to sustain consistent performances. However, he showcased his best trait: developing young players. This is evident in Enzo Le Fee, a superb midfielder who played for Lorient from 2018-2023 and has now signed for the Black Cats. 

The Hiring

Fans may be asking why a manager lacking experience and success in the professional game was hired.

French football expert Andy Scott commented on the Le Bris, saying he is “a training ground coach that excelled in developing young talent.” Andy Scott’s comment and the Frenchman’s experience in academy setups emphasise his skills in developing and incorporating young players. With Sunderland’s recent transfer strategy and abundance of young talent, it is evident to their reasoning for recruiting the 49-year-old. 

Previous Season

Sunderland in 2023/2024 finished 16^th in the Championship. Having 4 different managers in the space of 1 season, no one could have predicted the resurrection they would have. This season, Sunderland has several players who are excelling in the team currently. The reason this was not able to be seen in their results is due to the inconsistency in managerial structure and a mix and match of quality players and below-par players in a system that didn’t utilise there qualities or complement each other. The final point has been majorly addressed this season.

The Summer Transfer Window 2024  

The 2024 summer transfer window was decisive in Sunderland’s success this season with the hiring of the current manager and the board prepared to back him with the correct recruitment and outgoings.

This saw the incomings of Wilson Isidor (ST) Chris Mepham (CB) and Salis Abdul Samed (CM) on loan, and the permanent transfers of Milan Aleksic (CM) Aaron Connolly (ST), Ahmed Abdullahi (ST), Ian Poveda (RM), Alan Browne (CM) and Simon Moore (GK).

Sunderland has been unfortunate for four of their signings facing injuries that have seen them sidelined for a period; this includes Ian Poveda, Ahmed Abdullahi, Salis Abdul Samed, and Alan Browne, who was a starter under Regis Le Bris but unfortunately suffered a leg break in November 2024.

This transfer window also saw the departure of players that are considered deadwood and the loaning out of an abundance of young talent that would not have been utilised efficiently for them to develop. Jack Clarke was sold for a fee of £15 million to Ipswich, which helped fund the recruitment of players and strengthen the squad. 

Style Of Play

Since the beginning of Regis Le Bris’s tenure at Sunderland, his counter-attacking style of football has been visibly emphatic to watch; the use of direct, technical, and young players has complimented this style perfectly.

The Black Cats use their wingers to create chances while filling the box with attacking prowess. This has been made possible with the use of Romaine Mundle, who always looks to cut back after beating a man and progressing the ball, and vice versa with Patrick Robert.

Isidor has great box movement and is always in the correct positions to make the most of these chances. Similarly, with Chris Rigg as an attacking midfielder and Bellingham as a box-to-box midfielder, they fill the box with late-timed runs to attract space and get on the end of chances. During transition, they choose to carry the ball or play a killer pass in starting a counterattack.

When defending, Sunderland deploys with a rotational 4-4-2 to limit gaps in the pitch and sits deep, soaking up the pressure. This allows them to very quickly break with the correct players in positions to attack and build as a 4-2-3-1 that offers positional rotation with Myenda, Mundle, Isidor, Chris Rigg, and Patrick Roberts. This is also evident in their rotational options, such as Tom Watson and Aouichiche. 

Youth Prioritisation

Manager Le Bris since taking over has had many exciting young players at his disposal  

This includes the likes of Anthony Patterson, Trai Hume, Adil Aouchiche, Jobe Bellingham, Chris Rigg, Romaine Mundle, Elezier Myenda, and Tom Watson; these are all young players who have been utilised heavily by Sunderland this season, making an influential impact on the squad.

Sunderland also have many academy players who have made several matchday squads this season, portraying the great youth structure at the club and the options that are available when they are deemed ready to partake in the starting 11.

This links back to the Frenchman’s previous roles as Head of Academy and evokes his quality in developing youth. With the squad’s huge roster of young, exciting players, the Black Cats will be a team to keep an eye on for the foreseeable future. 

A Statement Signing

Sunderland’s project has gone very unnoticed, that is, until news broke that they were loaning in French 24-year-old Enzo Le Fee, one of the hottest midfielders in European football. The Black Cats have Enzo until the remainder of the season with an obligation to buy for £19,500,000 if Sunderland are promoted to the Premier League.

This signing shows the potential in Sunderland’s project, as a midfielder for a side in Europe and a top 5 league was willing to take the step down to be part of the reinstatement of Sunderland AFC.

This signing of the Frenchman was influenced heavily by fellow Frenchman Regis Le Bris, who was his previous coach at Lorient. In Enzo’s final season, he contributed 10 G/A while occupying a deep role as a defensive midfielder; this followed a move to Rennes the following summer.

Enzo Le Fee will be beneficial for Sunderland as an experienced technical player who can complement Jobe Bellingham’s attack-minded game. This is because Enzo is a DM who secures a midfield defensively and distributes the ball excellently around the pitch to start attacks and retain possession, with an eye for goal himself. This will allow Sunderland to have more control over games in phases while starting the preferred counterattacks with quick succession and quality. 

Sunderland’s resurgence under Regis Le Bris shows the club’s belief in the manager’s ability to combine both the tactical side of football and the development of young talent. The Black Cats have become one of the most interesting teams in the Championship, thanks to well-thought-out decisions and a defined style of play.

Sunderland is making significant steps towards reestablishing itself in the upper tiers of English football. The club’s talents are thriving, notable signings such as Enzo Le Fee are making headlines, and the management is focused on growth.

It is clear that Sunderland’s pursuit of promotion is not merely a fleeting endeavor; rather, it represents a goal of achieving success beyond reaching the promise land—the Premier League.

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HarleyJuden

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