Le Bris one step ahead of Wilder with Sunderland training-ground development
Sunderland are preparing for the biggest game of their season as they face Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final.
With Premier League football hanging tantalisingly in the balance, both clubs are leaving no stone unturned in their relentless pursuit of every conceivable advantage.
This Wembley showdown isn’t just different due to its sheer importance; it also marks the introduction of VAR, a technological element neither team has encountered throughout their Championship campaigns.
Sunderland pushing for every advantage
VAR, typically reserved for the Premier League elite in English football, is set to make a significant appearance at Wembley for this Championship Play-Off final.
Given that neither Sunderland nor Sheffield United has operated with VAR this season, both managerial teams are working tirelessly to prepare their players, aiming to nullify any potential disadvantage.
In quotes published via The Sunderland Echo (19 May), Chris Wilder said: “We had Craig Pawson in the club on Monday to go through certain situations and scenarios as well, so I was thankful for that option that we had.
“We talked to him, because the game at that level and refereeing at Premier League level is a different one to Championship football.
“We have to play the game cleanly, we have to be disciplined in our approach but we also have to be competitive.
So, channelling that competitive aspect, the emotional approach, is important because there has to be that fire in the belly and no doubt there will be.”
While Wilder may have thought he had got one over on his opposition, Régis Le Bris was already one step ahead.
The Sunderland manager said: “We had a referee speak to the players at the end of last week.
“The main thing was the offsides, which is a bit different. Sometimes you can be offside and the referee makes a mistake, it can change the difference.
“The way you can defend set pieces in the box is also slightly different.”
Le Bris learning from the past
Both managers are doing their utmost to prepare their squads, some of whom will be stepping onto a pitch with VAR in operation for the very first time in their careers.
They will undoubtedly have observed how VAR can dramatically influence play-off finals, drawing lessons from past controversies such as the 2022 clash between Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town.
Forest were the victors in a game that was shrouded in VAR controversy, with Huddersfield believing they were denied two penalties.
While the Sunderland Boss can do little to influence the outcome of these decisions.
He can help prepare his players for what to expect: the tight offsides, the long waits for decisions, and all the things that come with using technology.