Le Bris says ‘Oui’ to Black Cats job
SUNDERLAND have found their next head coach in French manager Regis Le Bris.
Le Bris was the boss of French outfit FC Lorient, who were relegated from Ligue 1 this season, but the 48-year-old has now agreed to leave Lorient for Wearside.
The Frenchman was said to have been on a five-man shortlist amongst other coaches drawn up by the hierarchy following the sacking of Michael Beale in February.
The process of finding a head coach was drawn out for so long due to the Will Still saga – as well as the fact that Le Bris requires work permit paperwork for him to start working in the United Kingdom.
The appointment of Le Bris is timely given that players return for pre-season in a matter of days. It should also quell supporters’ frustrations, after a more than fourmonth long wait for a permanent successor to Beale.
Le Bris took over FC Lorient in his senior first managerial role in June 2022, and guided the side to an impressive 10th-placed finish in Ligue 1 during his first season, with the Orange and Blacks as high as second spot at one point, only behind billionaire-funded Paris St Germain.
Last season, however, Lorient were relegated from Ligue 1 after finishing second off bottom – but there are mitigating factors to this result due to Lorient selling many of their top players following the 10th-placed finish with their stocks at an all-time high.
Two weeks ago, Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-dreyfus announced that the next head coach appointment was “imminent”, and with a fortnight having gone by the club and Black Cats fans will be pleased to see the deal is finally done.