Sunderland have finally appointed a new assistant head coach for boss Regis Le Bris.
Regis Le Bris has been working on his own at Sunderland so far, taking on the backroom team that was already present at the Stadium of Light before his arrival.
It was widely reported and expected that Le Bris make his own appointment to the backroom, and now the club have brought in Pero Ribeiro.
The Black Cats announced on Tuesday afternoon that Pedro Ribeiro has arrived at the club as a new Assistant Head Coach under Le Bris, and he’ll work closely with fellow Assistant Head Coach Mike Dodds as well as first-team coach Michael Proctor.
Here, we taker a deeper look at Ribeiro and what he’ll be able to bring to Sunderland…
Who is Sunderland Assistant Head Coach Pedro Ribeiro
Ribeiro is 38 years old and was born in Portugal. He had a brief career as a youth player but quickly got into coaching, managing and assisting several youth teams before getting his big break in 2011.
He joined Portuguese giants Porto, initially as a scout under Andre Villas-Boas, later becoming an assistant coach.
Following two years with Porto, Ribeiro went on to hold similar positions with Al-Ahli, Olympiacos, Fenerbahce, and 1860 Munich before taking on his first management role.
In 2018, he landed the position at Gil Vicente who were then in the Portuguese second tier, with Ribeiro becoming the nation’s youngest head coach at 32.
Ribeiro has since held several management roles in Portugal, all boasting mixed results; he briefly managed Belenenses in the Primeira Liga in 2019, later returning to the second tier.
His last job was Leixoes, lasting between summer 2023 to January 2024 and spanning just 24 games.
Ribeiro is a UEFA Pro License holder and preferred a 3-5-2 formation as a manager.
- READ MORE: Pundit urges Sunderland to complete ‘unbelievable’ signing that could be ‘catalyst’ for promotion
What’s been said about Pedro Ribeiro to Sunderland
Speaking to the club upon Ribeiro’s arrival, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said: “We are delighted to welcome Pedro to Sunderland.
“We’ve been diligent and patient in identifying the right candidate for this role to ensure we build on the excellent progress we are making.
“Pedro has an impressive set of experiences. He can use these to provide an alternative perspective, but importantly he is aligned to our values and playing identity.
“We wish him the best of luck and look forward to helping him settle into his new role.”
And Ribeiro said: “I’m privileged to be part of one of the most historical and progressive Football Clubs in English football.
“It’s a real honour and I’m grateful for the trust placed in me. I’ll do my best to contribute and to support our players, as we all work to achieve Sunderland’s long-term goals.”
What Pedro Ribeiro will bring to Sunderland
Like Speakman says, Ribeiro certainly brings a wealth of experience to Sunderland, and having worked as a scout in the past, he could also have a say in transfer matters at the club.
Whilst he lacks experience of English football, Ribeiro has worked with some big clubs in European football, so he’ll be able to help instil that winning mentality at the club.
It’s also someone for Le Bris to mould into the type of coach he wants. In a way, this is Le Bris’ appointment, as he’s not been able to bring in his own coach yet.
So expert Ribeiro to become a very close ally of Le Bris’ over the coming seasons, and possibly step up should the day comes that Le Bris leaves.
What Pedro Ribeiro appointment could mean for Mike Dodds
Dodds is a divisive figure at Sunderland. He’s been a mainstay at the club through several managerial appointments and remains part of the coaching staff.
From what they saw during his interim tenure last season, Sunderland fans were massively unimpressed by Dodds.
Ribeiro’s arrival now means that Dodds is sharing the responsibility as assistant and it’ll push him on to become more competitive.
On the other hand, it could prompt Dodds to explore new opportunities; either as the sole no.2 elsewhere or in management himself.