Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris says his team is ready to complete the mission they set last summer—earning promotion to the Premier League.
The Black Cats will face Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday at 15:01 BST. The winner secures a coveted place in the top flight next season.
Le Bris joined Sunderland last June after the team finished 16th the previous season. Despite that standing, the new head coach and his squad set high expectations from day one.
“We are exactly where we wanted to be at the start of the season,” said Le Bris. “When I first met the players, I asked them what the purpose of the season was. They told me they wanted to get promoted. Now we have this opportunity.”
Not many expected Sunderland to be contenders for promotion. However, the team has stayed in the top four throughout the season.
Le Bris said that after reviewing last season’s matches, he believed the squad had the potential to succeed with a few changes.
“It wasn’t a surprise to me,” he said. “For a team that finished 16th, it might have seemed like a big step. But I saw from watching games that the team could play really good football. The problem was consistency.”
He explained that improving consistency became the focus. “We addressed the weakness by using better methods and working throughout the season,” Le Bris added. “With time and effort, we made important improvements.”
In the play-off semi-final win over Coventry City, Sunderland’s starting lineup was notably young. Only Luke O’Nien was over 30, and Patrick Roberts was the only other player older than 25.
Despite the team’s youth, Le Bris believes they are ready for the big stage.
“It’s not always about age—it’s about how connected you are to your journey,” he said. “You can be 17 and ready for this kind of match, or 30 and still struggle with your emotions. This group seems mature and ready for the moment.”
Related topics:
