It has been more than a century since Sunderland last had a permanent manager in the Stadium of Light.
Liam Rosenior, who was a candidate for the position, and Marti Cifuentes, the manager of QPR, also failed to show up, even though Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus had stated in a statement earlier in June that a head coach appointment was “imminent.
Now that they appear to have found their man, Sunderland will probably choose Frenchman Regis Le bris as their next manager for the 2024–2025 Championship campaign.
The 48-year-old has two seasons of Ligue 1 experience with FC Lorient, the latter of which ended in relegation for his team.
According to reports, the Lorient management won’t wait to make changes at the team. After three years, a well-known Sunderland employee may be affected.
This summer, Le Bris hopes to sign Lorient no. 2 Igno Goetze, which may render Mike Dodds, the interim head coach in place, surplus to requirements.
After Michael Beale was fired in February, Dodds took over as head coach. Despite this, Dodds was unable to change the course of the season, and the Black Cats ended up in 16th place.
He only achieved two victories in his 13 games during the 2023–24 Championship season, which put Sunderland just six points clear of the relegation zone.
Since moving from Birmingham City to Sunderland in August 2021, Dodds has been a member of the coaching staff.