‘Warning signs there’… Sunderland fans deeply divided over Regis Le Bris’ future if club fail in play-offs
Sunderland head into the Championship play-offs campaign with some supporters in doubt over manager Regis Le Bris’ future on Wearside.
After scorching to the Championship summit for several weeks early on, Sunderland’s season fizzled out in the second-half of the season, seeing Regis Le Bris’ side end in fourth.
As such, the Black Cats will face Coventry City in the Championship play-offs semi-finals, with the opening exchange coming on Friday evening’s fixture at the CBS Arena.
Le Bris’ side ended the season in worrying form, with five defeats on the spin against opposition beneath them in the table, with the mood on Wearside marred by their relegation-worthy form.
With the play-offs looming amid Sunderland’s winless run, the Black Cats faithful are polarised as to what the future holds on Wearside for Le Bris, if the head coach fails to guide the club to promotion.
Sunderland fans divided over Regis Le Bris’ future if his side fails in play-offs
Early-season optimism has been overshadowed by play-offs pessimism at Sunderland following their final day 1-0 defeat to managerless QPR.
Five defeats on the bounce, glaring concerns with the Cats’ chance creation, and their irresolute defending spells trouble for the upcoming season-defining fixtures.
Sunderland’s terrible form, combined with their concerning history in the play-offs, and barren head-to-head record against Coventry, has not helped matters with the mood on Wearside.
Le Bris has masterminded Sunderland’s rise from 16th to title-contenders in this campaign, but equally has been responsible for their deteriorating form since the turn of the year.
As such, the Black Cats fanbase has become fractured, with some believing Le Bris should be sacked if his side fail in their bid for promotion glory via the play-offs.
One Sunderland fan argued on social media: “If we bomb out of play-offs he should go for me. The warning signs are there”.
Another agreed: “Scored 2 goals in 9 games, lost 5 in a row and no win in 6. Le bris out.”
Another supporter said: “If we lose in the play-off semis against Coventry Regis Le Bris deserves the sack for me going off the 2nd half of the season. If the club want the fans onside next season we make the change.”
In pro-Le Bris response, one Black Cats fan posted: “We had (Chris) Coleman, (Jack) Ross, (Phil) Parkinson, (Lee)Johnson, we’ve had (Michael) Beale. Yet people think Le Bris is doing a bad job and needs sacking. Get behind the gaffer and the team.”
Another agreed: “Spot on. Why do our fans always want the manager sacked after a dip in form? It’s ridiculous.”.
One fan argued: “There isn’t even a consideration to be made about sacking Regis Le Bris right now, not one. And it find it very hard to change my opinion on that even if we fall short in the play-offs”.
Some Sunderland fans believe a similar concerning pattern, seen during Le Bris’ time in Ligue 1 before his sacking, is emerging when the Black Cats boss suffered top flight relegation with FC Lorient.
Worrying Regis Le Bris FC Lorient pattern emerging at Sunderland
Le Bris was head coach of FC Lorient from June 2022 until June 2024, with the Frenchman taking Lorient to tenth in his first campaign as a manager, but oversaw their relegation down to the French second tier the season prior to his Sunderland arrival.
Across his Lorient tenure, Le Bris enjoyed only a 32 percent win rate, winning 24, drawing 18 and losing 34 in the orange-and-blacks dugout.
At Sunderland, the 49-year-old’s record currently stands at 21 wins, 13 draws and 14 losses.
In Lorient’s relegation from Ligue 1 in the 2023/24 season, Le Bris’ side endured a seven-game losing streak before winning on the final day, which catalysed their demotion and saw him sacked.
Le Bris’ Black Cats head into the play-offs on a five-game losing streak, and if they lose both semi-finals individually, that will see the head coach end this season on a seven-game defeat run in all competitions.
The Frenchman will be desperate to turn history in his and Sunderland’s favour in the upcoming play-offs campaign, starting with Friday night’s visit to Coventry.