Regis Le Bris is 'impossible' not to like as class shown moments after Sunderland draw
Regis Le Bris really is a class act.
Just as Southampton dubbed Matthew Le Tissier ‘Le God’, Sunderland supporters would be justified in labelling their manager the same way. Thrust in front of the Sky TV cameras immediately after the final whistle at Burnley he was asked how he felt about the 0-0 draw.
He will have been hurting. Somehow, he kept his usual calm demeanour and declared that there was “no time for regrets” as he only now has focus on the next game.
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He backs his players. He shows loyalty to his players. He protects his players. He showed no sign of being frustrated as he obviously was and did not put any blame on Wilson Isidor for failing to win his team the three points.
Le Bris sets such a fine example in everything he does. Not just as a football manager, but as a human being. He is impossible not to like. He handles himself so well, in whatever pressure situation he is in. Everything is a learning experience for him and his team, whether that be good, bad or indifferent.
He has found a formula that works and it will have been so disappointing to him not to win that game having seen just how much they deserved to.
He was rightly proud of the performance of the Sunderland team, not least his new signing Enzo Le Fee who showed on his debut just what Black Cats can expect to see from him this season. The 24-year-old demonstrated his skill, alertness, passing ability and vision.What an exciting prospect he is.
There were plusses all over the pitch and you have to acknowledge the compassion shown by the team in the way they dealt with Isidor’s pain at the end of the game. The fans too deserve huge respect for backing the striker when he was mainly responsible for the fact they didn’t win the match.
Burnley dodged a bullet in a huge game and that much was written all over the face of their manager Scott Parker after the final whistle and in interviews. Everybody who witnessed the second half will know that although Burnley have only conceded nine goals all season, on this occasion it was nothing to do with how good their defensive unit was and all to do with Sunderland’s failure to score.
Parker wore the face of a man who had gone to rob a bank, only to be welcomed into the branch by the staff and shown to an open safe where he was allowed to walk away with whatever he pleased. With a smile.
It can only be hoped that the two points dropped by the Black Cats – and this definitely felt like that rather than a point gained – will not make a difference come the end of the season. It’s possible that Burnley could have come back at Sunderland and equalised even if Isidor had scored the second penalty. But five minutes of six minutes had elapsed and you have to think it would have been a victory for Le Bris and his players at that point, such is their defensive strength.
It brings us back to Le Bris. He doesn’t make excuses. He doesn’t blame officials. He doesn’t pick on individuals. He treats the twin imposters of winning and losing in the same way.
The Sunderland fans love him for it and are rightly proud of him. And given he has only been in the job for a little more than half a season that is truly remarkable.
