Fan Letters: "Our fans have plenty to be excited about under the guidance of Régis Le Bris"

Yesterday at 01:00 AM

RR reader Ian Hughes feels that Le Bris has instilled a 'winning mentality' in his players and that the club is on the up! Got something to say? Email us: RokerReport@yahoo.co.uk

Dear Roker Report,

It's safe to say that our fans have plenty to be excited about under the guidance of Régis Le Bris, and that despite some significant changes and challenges, the team continues to thrive, playing some of the best football we've seen in years.

The departure of Jack Clarke was undoubtedly a blow, but credit must go to Le Bris and the recruitment team for finding solutions and maintaining momentum. The fact that we haven't skipped a beat speaks volumes about the squad's depth and the manager's tactical adaptability.

In Clarke's absence, Romaine Mundle and Eliezer Mayenda have stepped up, delivering strong performances and adding a different dimension to our attack.

The fluid, high-energy football we've come to associate with Le Bris remains a constant, with Patrick Roberts continuing to shine as the creative heartbeat of the side. His vision and dribbling ability have been crucial in breaking down defences, while new faces have seamlessly integrated into our forward line.

I know he's taken a bit of stick, but I think Dan Neil has also grown into a leadership role, taking on more responsibility since Corry Evans' departure, and his passing range and intelligence on the ball are driving us forward in every game.

Alongside him, the combination of youth and experience is working wonders, and the intensity with which we press and control the tempo has been fantastic to watch.

Defensively, we've shown unbelievable resilience.

Luke O'Nien's versatility has been key, organising the defence superbly, and with Chris Mepham stepping up in Aji Alese and Dan Ballard's absence last week, our backline has remained solid.

With some tough fixtures on the horizon, it's going to be a true test of our squad's depth and Le Bris' tactical nous, but given how we've adapted so far, there's every reason to believe we can come out of these games with positive results.

Le Bris has instilled a winning mentality, and even with the changes, there's a real sense of unity. Sunderland is on the up, and it's thrilling to be part of it.

Haway the Lads!

Ian Hughes

Ed's Note [Phil]: I think the mentality instilled by Régis Le Bris is perhaps the single most important thing he's done since arriving at Sunderland- and there have been plenty of others besides!

He's taken a group of players whose confidence must've been knocked last season and freed them up, helping them to begin to unlock their huge potential and developing a genuine high performance environment within the first team setup.

The standards have been raised, performance levels have gone up accordingly, and there's a real buzz around the place, as you rightly say. Le Bris himself also seems like a charming, humble and thoroughly likeable person, and he's got the fans firmly onside, which was no mean feat after what happened last season.

Additionally, the players are clearly responding to his methods.

They seem to enjoy playing for him and the results have spoken for themselves so far. I'll be the first to admit that I didn't expect him to make such an impact, but I'm delighted that he has and I'm eager to see how things pan out in the weeks and months ahead.

Dear Roker Report,

It's all very well talking about all the talented young players we have, and I agree, but the problem is because of the so-called 'model' Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has implemented.

We won't be able to hang on to these players.

All I hear is other clubs voicing their interest in the ones that shine or keep our team afloat. I would love to watch the Lads in the Premier League, but let's be honest: they just wouldn't survive a season and Luton was a typical example- just not good enough.

Let's see what our latest signing brings. It looks like he has a little room left for a couple more tattoos.

Alan Davies

Ed's Note [Phil]: I can definitely see this side of the argument and of course, the lingering fear that our best youngsters will be snapped up by top flight clubs either at home or abroad is always there.

That said, the fact that they're thriving and improving all the time is a huge credit to the club and the coaching they're receiving, so I think we can rightly praise the hierarchy for that.

At the end of the day, if and when these players do leave, the key will be maximising the fee we receive for them and then reinvesting it wisely. Jack Clarke's departure for what felt like a sub-par fee was disappointing in this regard, but we did manage to retain the bulk of the squad, and that's encouraging.

Let's see how the season unfolds and whether promotion eventually begins to look like a genuine prospect.

If it does, perhaps the club will reward some of our most important players with lucrative new contracts, which would hopefully calm the nerves of anyone who thinks we'll eventually be losing them cheaply.

Dear Roker Report,

Jobe Bellingham is the best player and no one has the right to say shit about him!

Alice Ojo

Ed's Note [Phil]: Jobe is just brilliant, isn't he? There's little else to say but it's great to see him thriving and showing that he's truly a class act at this level.

Hopefully there's a lot more to come!