Le Bris was appointed as the Black Cats’ new boss at the end of last June, with his move across the Channel finally ending a wait for a permanent head coach that had lasted more than 100 days.
Since taking over at the Stadium of Light, the 49-year-old has been a revelation, with his meticulous approach and astute tactics playing key roles in Sunderland’s successful promotion back to the Premier League.
Le Bris’ achievements have not gone unnoticed, with stories emerging in France in the last couple of weeks suggesting he is interesting clubs in Ligue 1.
Having signed a three-year contract when he was appointed, Le Bris still has more than two years of his current deal to run, and with the terms of his contract understood to have included a considerable promotion bonus, all parties appear to be more than satisfied with their current position.
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“In terms of his contract, we’re in a really good spot with that so there’s not really an issue there that I need to comment on,” said Sunderland’s sporting director, Kristjaan Speakman. “We’re all just focused on the games that are going to be coming up.”
Speakman took something of a gamble when he appointed Le Bris last summer, with the Frenchman having suffered relegation to Ligue 2 with Lorient in the previous campaign.
The Sunderland chief regarded that relegation as a blessing in disguise, as Le Bris might well have been out of the Black Cats’ reach had his reputation not suffered something of a dent, and he has been absolutely delighted with the way in which Le Bris has taken to life on Wearside.
“First and foremost, Regis has committed to the Sunderland project,” he said. “From the way that he’s gone about his work, all the conversations we’ve had with him, planning and strategising ahead of next season, I think he’s thoroughly enjoyed his time and his work here.
“You come to one of the biggest clubs in England, and he’s been instrumental in helping us solve that last piece of the jigsaw in terms of being able to get back to the Premier League.
“Now, he has a chance of being a Premier League coach and pitting his wits against some of the best coaches in world football. I know he’s really looking forward to that.”
