Exclusive: Luke Entwistle drops exciting reveal about Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris' management style | OneFootball

French-based journalist, Luke Entwistle, reveals Regis Le Bris' indispensable traits, which could lead to his success at the Stadium of Light.

Highlights

New Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris knows how to nurture and develop academy products, and is likely to approach the Black Cats job as both a disciplinarian and a father figure, French-based journalist Luke Entwistle has revealed in an exclusive interview with Football League World.

Sunderland manager, Le Bris, took over at the Stadium of Light recently, having left Ligue 1 side, FC Lorient. In doing so, he became the first Frenchman to manage at the Stadium of Light. Prior to his appointment, the Black Cats had gone 124 days without a manager, while caretaker boss, Mike Dodds, had been in charge.

Le Bris is relatively unknown to Sunderland fans due to managing in France but Entwistle has provided an insight into the manager's indispensable traits, having watched him manage Lorient in Ligue 1.

Le Bris a disciplinarian and father figure

When clubs employ managers from abroad, there is always an air of unknown around their appointment. Le Bris has only been a senior manager for two seasons, having been an academy manager with Lorient previously.

Sunderland fans will be curious to learn Le Bris' philosophy and man management style when the season gets underway. "Above all, a disciplinarian, a father figure," Entwistle stated exclusively to FLW when asked what Le Bris was like as a man manager.

"He's a disciplinarian, but also someone who is close to the players, a father figure at the same time, because that’s how you bring young players through an academy.

"It’s about having that mix by being close to them, by being a shoulder to lean on, but also by being demanding, because that’s how they’re going to progress and become great players. This is what they’re hoping for, as they have many players who are coming through their academy.

"I think that in terms of man management, these are the two qualities coaches must have to work in the environment that he has worked in for many years as an academy manager. They’re two pretty indispensable traits."

His experience with academy players is invaluable

Since Kyril Louis-Dreyfus' arrival in 2021, the Wearsiders have placed a greater emphasis on youth and have signed a host of young players in the transfer market. Furthermore, the club have brought through academy prospects, such as Anthony Patterson, Dan Neil, Elliot Embleton and Chris Rigg, who have been successfully integrated into the first team.

"That's why they went for Le Bris, because he’s worked with the academy, and he came through the academy system," Entwistle claimed when asked about Le Bris's experience in the academy setup.

"He worked with the Lorient academy for years and the bulk of his career. Most of his work has been in academy setups and I know that Sunderland are really going after this youth-centered approach.

"He’s come through the academy system because he’s developed academy products and worked with them close. He knows how to nurture them and to make them progress and that’s why they looked at him.

"Le Bris is clearly talented, clearly has an eye for a good, young player. With young players, he has that good man-management aspect."

Last season, Sunderland fielded the youngest starting lineup in the Championship, with an average age of just 21. Although the Black Cats have brought in experienced players such as Alan Browne and Simon Moore, they will likely lead the way for the youngest starting line up again.

With this statistic in mind, it is no coincidence that Louis-Dreyfus has brought in a manager with significant experience in the academy setup as well as at senior level.