If you cast your minds back to when Regis Le Bris was first appointed Sunderland head coach in June, there would have been plenty whose first thought was – who?
The Frenchman was somewhat of an unknown outside of France, the boss of Ligue 1’s provincial club Lorient with little managerial pedigree.
A quick look on a search engine would have told you he had just seen his club relegated from the top flight of French football after a season of dismal displays of defensive frailty.
Sunderland were coming off a 16th place finish in their previous Championship campaign, having sacked head coach Tony Mowbray while in ninth place in December and seeing his replacement Michael Beale only last 12 games before receiving the same fate.
Fans of the Black Cats could be forgiven for being sceptical.
Yet nine games into the season, Sunderland find themselves at the top of the table with the Stadium of Light rejoicing at a massive turnaround in form under the new man in charge.
It may be early days, but how has the 48-year-old managed to thrive in the unforgiving landscape of the Championship?
Who is Regis Le Bris?
Le Bris had an unremarkable playing career.
Retiring aged 27, the former defender played for French teams Rennes and Laval before ending his career in Belgium with Ronse.
He then moved into coaching, first taking charge of the youth team at Wasquehal in France before joining up with former club Rennes to manage their young talent.
After eight years, he made the move to Lorient’s youth team where he worked his way up to his first senior managerial position in 2022.
While his first term in charge was met with relative success, floating in mid-table with owners and fans alike sensing bright skies ahead, it was not the case the following year.
Lorient ended the season in 17th place, relegated from Ligue 1 with only seven wins in their 34 league games.
Excelling with youth
Upon Le Bris’ arrival to Wearside from Lorient, French football expert Andy Scott told BBC Radio Newcastle that the Frenchman was “a training ground coach” that excelled in developing young talent.
He’s certainly been given his chance to work with young players at the Stadium of Light.
Academy graduate Chris Rigg made club history as their youngest outfield player when he came on as substitute against Shrewsbury Town during their FA Cup match in January 2023, aged just 15 years and 203 days.
The midfielder then scored his first goal for the club in his league debut later on that year and has gone on to score four more in his short senior career – including the winner during their derby game with Middlesbrough in September.
Le Bris has even named 17-year-old Rigg as a symbol of what Sunderland looks like under his control.
Then there is Jobe Bellingham, 19, who had been linked with Premier League clubs such as Brentford, Crystal Palace and Tottenham before re-signing with the Black Cats until 2028.
Brother and England midfielder Jude has even claimed his younger brother has caught the attention of Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, jesting that he “bought the wrong Bellingham”.
The talismanic teens are just two parts of a exuberantly young squad, with names such as Romaine Mundle, 21, and Dan Neil, 22, adding to a list of talented youngsters on the Black Cats roster.
But youth – as Scott predicted – works for Le Bris.
Sunderland have not used a single player over the age of 30 during their Championship campaign so far and the lack of hardnosed, experienced footballers doesn’t seem to have dented their ability to get results.
Young players, matured style
Sunderland are only in their third year back in the Championship, having suffered double relegation to end up in League One in 2018.
For four years, the Wearsiders battled it out in the third division of the EFL before finally achieving promotion with a play-off win against Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley in 2022.
Yet their return to the second tier has not proven easy.
While they did manage to secure a play-off spot in their first year back, they lost out in the semi-finals to Luton Town, and then found themselves drifting backwards in the table the following year.
Midfielder Neil, who was part of the Sunderland squad in League One, has spoken about how Le Bris has shed the naivety of the team to form them into promotion-contenders.
“He has definitely brought new ideas, new ways of playing, especially in possession,” Neil told 72+: The EFL Podcast.
“I feel like the way we are playing now is a lot more structured. Everybody knows their roles in and out of possession.”
There’s no longer the ‘pass to the attacking players and hope for the best’ kind of mindset that seemed prevalent in the club’s recent past.
Le Bris’ style of play hinges on his midfield talent – Rigg, Bellingham and Neil – to create triangles of space on the pitch and build into an attack rather than a gung-ho approach.
Bellingham in particular seems to have found his footing under Le Bris’ guidance.
Last season, the Birmingham youth product was utilised as both a midfielder and a second striker but seemed to run out of steam as the season progressed.
Le Bris appears to have settled his role in the midfield, allowing his combination play with Rigg and Neil to help slow the tempo of the game while still taking advantage of his physical power in attack.
It’s effective.
Sunderland have scored the most goals of any Championship side with 18 this season, conceding just eight.
Home is where the heart is
Le Bris isn’t afraid of big games.
This could be vital for a team that boasts the highest attendance of any of its peers in the Championship and more than half of the teams in the Premier League.
Managing the Black Cats comes with the caveat of having a lot of eyes on you at all times but the benefit of a large crowd ready to roar your name if successful.
Prior to hosting Leeds United in their last game before the international break, Le Bris claimed that his side’s positive, high-pressing style of play would “create that link with the fans” to make the 40,000+ within the Stadium of Light a strong-hold for his young squad.
“If we feel it, I think the opponents feel it as well. The momentum can be created or reinforced by this energy,” Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle.
Harnessing the crowd can be a massive advantage for any big club and it seems that Le Bris relishes in the noise around the stadium.
Sunderland are unbeaten in their five home league games this campaign – though they did come close to a first loss against Leeds.
Whites keeper Illan Meslier, who was coached by Le Bris while a youth player at Lorient, made a blunder in the 97th minute to give the hosts a 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light.
Everything seems to be falling into place for Le Bris to make his first year in English football an impactful one.
But with less than a fifth of the season gone, Sunderland fans might want a few more wins under their belt before they can start dreaming of a return to the Premier League for the first time since relegation in 2017.