There have been so many successes at Sunderland this season – the best start to a league season in 99 years, the most Championship points since the 2006-07 season, confirmation of a play-off place with a month of the campaign to go – that it is easy to forget that Le Bris has been in position for less than a year.
It is also easy to overlook the scale of the mess Le Bris inherited when he took over last summer, with the Black Cats having regressed alarmingly under both Michael Beale and Mike Dodds last season, and the average age of the current squad, which is the youngest in the second tier.
Yet for all his achievements, Le Bris accepts that, to some, the season will still be regarded as a failure if Sunderland fail to win promotion via the play-offs, which begin with tomorrow night’s semi-final first leg at Coventry City. Harsh? Undoubtedly. But also the reality of football management.
“That is the job,” said Le Bris, who had only presided over two seasons in management with Lorient prior to taking charge at the Stadium of Light. “It doesn’t change anything – I know the rules of the job, and I have to face the challenge as a manager.
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“After that, you have your emotional assessment and then you can have your review of the season, and you can decide.
“I just want to improve and develop the squad, to help the club grow and to grow me as a manager. At the end of the season, I will be a better coach than when I started here.”
While Le Bris’ background is in youth development and academy coaching, his opposite number on the touchline at the CBS Arena tomorrow night could have had a more different route into management.
Frank Lampard was one of the world’s great attacking midfielders, and has previously managed in the Premier League with Chelsea and Everton. When his Sunderland side kicks off against Coventry tomorrow, though, Le Bris will be his equal.
“We have two different situations, two different teams, two different squads,” said the Black Cats boss. “The identity of Sunderland is not the identity of Coventry, and we have our own style of play, our own squad, our young players, our experienced players. They are different so we can’t compare.
“At the end of the Championship, we went fourth, they went fifth, okay, so different situations. Now, during these two games, it will be short. Now, it’s a question of confidence, a question of desire, a question of managing the games properly, and that’s it. It’s only football.”
