How Regis Le Bris has turned Sunderland into genuine Championship promotion contenders

It's not just that Sunderland are top of the Championship. The beautiful thing from their point of view is they are playing like it is exactly where they belong.

When the season was in its infancy I was likening Regis Le Bris’ appointment as similar to that of Arsene Wenger when he joined Arsenal. Here we had another unknown Frenchman arriving in England looking to make an impression.

Okay, Wenger was a ground-breaking arrival which shifted football onto a different plane. But as far as Sunderland fans are concerned, Le Bris is already being lauded as a messiah and rightly so.

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I took issue with Lee Cattermole’s suggestion that it’s the club’s culture that is why the success this season is happening. That implied it’s not a lot to do with the new head coach. Well, the club culture was there when Mike Dodds took over last season as caretaker with the same players and we all know what happened there.

This is happening because of Le Bris and his ability to earn respect among the players, his meticulous approach and his passion to embrace everything connected with Sunderland.

A deep thinker, he embodies calm and his favourite word is ‘interesting’. He remains a student of the game and is learning all the time. It’s remarkable to see his team flourish from week to week.

He has largely tried to keep the same starting XI wherever possible and that breeds so much confidence in the players. Watching Patrick Roberts, Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham and Wilson Isidor perform how they did on Saturday against Oxford was a joy.

Players like Dennis Cirkin and Trai Hume are thriving and there is a real unity among the squad, which has real depth.

Skipper Dan Neil was quite rightly picked out by the club for a show-reel of what he did well in the game and they obviously chose their moment to produce such a montage. He certainly played his part on Saturday.

What is so enjoyable and ‘interesting’ to watch, in Le Bris parlance, is how Sunderland break the opposition lines. The passing from the back and midfield is sharp, incisive, and pinpoint accurate. Rigg, Hume and Bellingham all produced passes of piercing quality and no wonder the supporters are getting up off their seats. The way the team hunts in packs to win the ball back when they don’t have it is also hugely impressive.

Every week you can see the confidence oozing through the team, right the way from the likes of Luke O’Nien at the back to Romaine Mundle as he looks to take on his next victim and leave him for dust.

There is a buzz of excitement around the Stadium of Light and it shows no sign of abating any time soon.