Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has shared his first impression of the club’s fans.
Sunderland ended a four-month search process for their new head coach when they hired Regis Le Bris in June.
Le Bris, 48, left Lorient after their relegation from Ligue 1, spending two seasons with the club.
Formerly a youth coach with Stade Rennais, Le Bris is an unknown quantity in England, but Sunderland fans recently got a chance to meet their new boss.
Le Bris, along with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus were in attendance at the club shop for the launch of the 2024/25 home shirt.
Le Bris was filmed mixing with Sunderland supporters, who’ve been highly critical of the likes of Louis-Dreyfus and Speakman in recent weeks.
Now having taken his first training session with the first-team, Le Bris held his first official press conference as Sunderland head coach on Wednesday.
Regis Le Bris shares first impression of Sunderland fans
Speaking to the press in his first press conference as the new Sunderland head coach, Le Bris was quizzed on his interactions with the supporters at the launch of the new home shirt.
Le Bris said: “It was great. I like the feeling of the fans because I think we can play with 12 players, if they are with us, if they understand our commitment, our style of play, and of course our desire to win.
“So for me, I think this possibility to meet the fans be very close to them is interesting.”
Regis Le Bris must avoid critical Michael Beale error at Sunderland
Le Bris gave a good impression of himself in his first Sunderland press conference.
It won’t have been easy for the Frenchman; speaking English, and doing so in what is only his second job as a manager.
But he appeared to be calm, even humouring with journalists, and making an overall good impression.
Whilst he will be judged by results on the pitch, if he can continue to speak well and make a bond with the fans then he’ll already have a leg up on Michael Beale.
Beale’s Sunderland tenure arguably fell apart when he decided to bite back at supporters, making bizarre claims about how his London roots made him an unpopular appointment in the North East.
If Le Bris can avoid making a divide between himself and the Sunderland supporters then he’ll set himself up for a potentially good start to the season, and a good overall season.
But Speakman needs to really back him in the summer transfer window.