Instead, Le Bris says patience was always going to be required with the teenage winger after his long injury lay-off.
Watson missed 15 Championship games between mid-December and the end of February, and after his return it was then confirmed that the winger is leaving for Brighton in an £11m deal at the end of the season.
With Romaine Mundle out injured, Watson has started the last two Championship games for Sunderland but struggled to make an impact in Tuesday’s draw at Norwich or Saturday’s home defeat to Swansea.
And when he was replaced in the second half against the Swans, Watson was booed by some Sunderland supporters.
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But Le Bris insists Watson’s summer exit will have no impact on his thinking between now and the end of the season.
And he says the winger was never going to find top gear immediately after his return.
“For Tommy, the squad, the staff, there is no problem,” said Sunderland’s head coach.
“For his game level, he does not have huge experience. He reached a good level before his injury but he built this level progressively as well, he started probably at 60/70% of the level he reached before the injury.
“He has to go through the same process now. In this division you need time to find rhythm, connect with your team mates. You can’t just switch it on and it’s OK – you need training, match time. It’s not just a snap of the fingers, it doesn’t work like that.”
With Mundle not expected to be ready to return until the play-offs, Le Bris must now decide whether to stick with Watson on the left or play Enzo Le Fee in that position.
Le Fee was used on the left flank after his January arrival but Le Bris has repeatedly made clear that he thinks the Frenchman is most effective in a central role.
And after a cameo from the bench against Swansea at the weekend, Le Bris again stressed the need for patience with the loanee, suggesting he’ll again be on the bench for Friday’s game at Bristol City.
