For the first time in his Sunderland tenure, there were rumblings of discontent heading the way of Regis le Bris as the Black Cats threw away a 2-0 lead to draw with Coventry City.
The Frenchman had already frustrated some fans with his team selection for Sunderland’s 0-0 draw at Preston three days earlier – rotating an in-form frontline as the Wearsiders drew a second blank in succession – and Le Bris found himself with some explaining to do again on Saturday afternoon.
Stunning goals from Wilson Isidor and Dennis Cirkin put Sunderland in control against a Coventry City side still reeling from the shock sacking of legendary manager Mark Robins.
But as Le Bris introduced Aaron Connolly, shifted Isidor out wide and brought on an extra defender in the shape of Dan Ballard, Le Bris’ changes served only to surrender the initiative.
There was a sense of inevitability as Jack Rudoni bundled home Coventry’s equaliser at the back post.
And, as Sunderland’s promotion chances took a blow for the third time in a winless week, a manager the Black Cats had considered prior to Le Bris’s arrival showcased impressive levels of bouncebackability to maintain a coupon-busting title challenge of his own.
Sunderland looked at Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin
According to Aftonbladet, Sunderland held talks with Jimmy Thelin – then of Swedish outfit Elfsborg – between the sacking of Tony Mowbray and the ill-fated appointment of Mick Beale in late-2023.
At the time, with the Wearsiders thinking outside the box and casting their net all the way into Scandinavian waters, all Sunderland fans had to go on was Thelin’s impressive track record and the glowing praise those who knew him best.
“He is awesome,” the now-Bologna winger Jesper Karlson told Aftonbladet. “Jimmy is an incredibly good coach and person.”
Thelin’s CV certainly made for impressive reading, too.
The 46-year-old had been linked with the Swedish national team job after guiding Elfsborg to second place in the Allsvenskan back in 2023. Winning 20 out of 30 league fixtures and maintaining the division’s best defensive record, Elfsborg only missed out on the title to domestic giants Malmo on goal difference.
That would have been Elfsborg’s first Allsvenksan success since 2012. Compare that to Aberdeen’s own 40 year wait for domestic glory, however, and the Elfsborg supporters don’t know how good they’ve got it.
A rosy-cheeked Glaswegian by the name of Alex Ferguson was patrolling the Pittodrie touchline in those mid-80s afternoons.
Four decades later, the fact that Thelin is even being mentioned in the same breath as one of the titans of world football goes some way to explaining what Sunderland saw in the Swede in those initial post-Mowbray days.
Aberdeen challenging Celtic at Scottish Premiership summit
Aberdeen’s 6-0 Scottish League Cup hammering by Celtic, some presumed, was the first gust of wind which would send this house of cards fluttering down.
But as Thelin put the Dons back on the horse during Sunday’s 4-1 smashing of Dundee, unfancied Aberdeen re-asserted their grip on Celtic’s coattails.
With ten wins from 11 – 30 points from a possible 33 – Aberdeen and Celtic have made identical starts in league action.
South of the border on Wearside, owner Kyril Louis Dreyfus has been glowing in his praise for Regis Le Bris as Sunderland have flown out of the blocks themselves, even if three consecutive draws has halted that momentum.
Sunderland, lest we forget, finished in lower mid-table last term. In pre-season, only the most optimistic would have expected or even considered a promotion charge.
But with Aberdeen enjoying their best run since their Ferguson heyday and dropping only three points thus far – despite the loss of star striker Bojan Miovski to Champions League Girona – Le Bris’ Sunderland still cannot claim to be presiding over the most unexpected title challenge in British football right now.
“Aberdeen have been brilliant,” Celtic legend Neil Lennon tells OLbG. “And all credit has to go to the new coach in Jimmy Thelin.
“Their consistency in the league has been remarkable and even after the setback in the cup they bounced back to win in the league against Dundee.”