Regis Le Bris: Is his Sunderland future really up for debate?
Regis Le Bris has been instrumental in Sunderland’s rise over the last 12 months, and yet there are still debates as to whether he should be in charge next season.
Let’s face it, Le Bris is comfortably the best manager that Sunderland have had for a long, long time, and that is showcased by what the Black Cats have achieved since he was appointed.
Despite the lack of parachute payments and investment (for good reason) in the Championship, he led his side to promotion at the first time of asking, before then having them in the European competition the following season.
However, there are still several arguments when it comes to the longevity that the Frenchman has at the Stadium of Light, and there are cases to be made for both sides of it.
Should Sunderland stick with Regis Le Bris?
From my viewpoint, and presumably that of the majority of Sunderland supporters, yes.
Go back to the start of the season and imagine someone told you that Le Bris would have Sunderland fighting for European football, while having done the league double over Newcastle.
| Premier League | Le Bris |
| Games | 31 |
| Wins | 11 |
| Draws | 10 |
| Goals for | 32 |
| Goals against | 36 |
There would genuinely be calls for a statue.
And that is exactly what he has achieved at Sunderland this season, with some tough circumstances to abide by as well, when taking into account recent injuries and, perhaps most importantly, AFCON.
Quite frankly, you’d do well to name a manager who would have done a better job this season.
The players seem to love playing for him, and there is a collective, positive atmosphere surrounding Wearside, and that all stems back to him and the job that he has done.
However, as always with these arguments, there are two sides to the story.
Why would Sunderland move on from Le Bris?
Granted, the situation is different, but the idea is the same.
Sunderland were sat third in League One when they moved to sack Lee Johnson, a decision that baffled everyone away from Wearside.
Alex Neil was appointed, and that was the move that ultimately started the journey they have been on since.
While it was a different situation with different expectations, it was a showcase that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus was not afraid to make a big, potentially unpopular call to ensure that they keep progressing, and the same may be in line for Le Bris in the future.
Sunderland’s attacking output has been poor under him; not just this season, but also the last, and while that isn’t too much of a concern right now, it is something that needs to be considered.
Should Sunderland move on from Le Bris this summer? No, absolutely not. But if he fails to showcase the level of progression that has been demanded by Louis-Dreyfus, then the conversation will be had down the line.
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