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Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has done an impressive job during his first full season in England since his summer arrival from Lorient.
On Wednesday, the EFL released the Championship Manager of the Season award nominees with little surprise as to the four up for top prize.
Daniel Farke, Scott Parker and Chris Wilder were all nominated for their respective title charges with Leeds United, Burnley, and Sheffield United respectively.
The fourth and final nominee for the Manager of the Season award was Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris, whose side have already guaranteed their place in the play-offs with games to spare.
Either of those four will be the winner, announced at the EFL Awards on April 27, days before the regular season curtails and play-off campaign begins.
There are arguments to be made for all four supreme second tier manager’s, but here are three reasons why Black Cats boss Le Bris should scoop Manager of the 24/25 Season.
Regis Le Bris took Sunderland from 16th to 4th in one season
Le Bris inherited a mess when he arrived on Wearside last summer in the wake of Sunderland’s disastrous 16th place finish the season prior.
Tony Mowbray, Mike Dodds, Michael Beale, and Dodds again were all at the helm during that ill-fated Championship campaign. If not for Jack Clarke’s output, the Black Cats would’ve been staring relegation in the face.
Over the summer heading into the 24/25 season, Le Bris often lofted the importance of “connection” between the players, staff and Stadium of Light stands, which was evident during the opening exchanges.
Le Bris’ Black Cats blew Sheffield Wednesday out of the water with a 4-0 hammering in which the Frenchman tactically outclassed opposite number Danny Rohl.
Further victories on home soil to title contenders Burnley, an impressive away win at Portsmouth and an audacious Chris Rigg backheel winner saw Sunderland surprisingly scorch to the summit.
As the aforementioned title chasers gained ground and the Black Cats stuttered, Le Bris’ side have fell out of the Championship title race despite securing a play-off place with five games to spare.
Taking a disjointed, disconnected squad and guiding them to title challengers in less 12 months is undoubtedly an impressive feat, made all the more stunning given it’s Le Bris’ first term as a football league head coach.
Regis Le Bris’ first season in English Football League
Le Bris arrived at Sunderland last summer as an unknown entity in the English game. The Frenchman remains well-recognised in his home country as a top coaching prospect, after working his way up from Under-19s manager to first-team boss, at FC Lorient.
Sunderland were linked with Will Still, a name now infamous in footballing circles as well as ex-Hull City boss Liam Rosenior, but appointed the mild-mannered 49-year-old.
After Le Bris’ first day on the Sunderland training pitch back in July, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman told Sunderland’s media: “In Regis, you’re just getting a really thoughtful, really diligent, really detailed coach, tactically really astute,
“Everything he’ll be doing he’ll be geared towards developing the group, developing the team, the individual focus and ultimately winning games.”
Speakman’s appraisal of the Sunderland boss has come true, with Le Bris’ footballing intelligence and calm nature a perfect accompaniment for the Black Cats side brimming with youthful exuberance.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 4 |  SunderlandSunderland | 42 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 57 | 38 | 19 | 76 |
Le Bris’ tactical knowledge has masterminded wins over Burnley and the Blades this season.
More impressively, however, is the remarkable rate at which the Black Cats’ litany of young talent has matured under him.
Borussia Dortmund want Jobe Bellingham and Manchester United have been tracking starlet Rigg, two elite English prospects destined for the top flight, who have Le Bris to thank in no small part for their development this season.
Sunderland’s finances are far different to Leeds United, Burnley and Sheffield United
With play-offs in the crosshairs, it makes Le Bris’ achievements this season even more stellar given the financial situation at Sunderland and of the three clubs above.
Buoyed by their parachute payments, the title-chasing trio were benefactors to increased spending power for this season. Joe Rodon’s £10m permanent move to Leeds and Sheffield United’s £13m acquisition of Tom Cannon, to name just two, are deals the Black Cats simply can’t compete with financially.
Sunderland’s solutions this season have been found internally. Le Bris had to deal with the loss of Clarke to Ipswich for £15m two games into the season after summer-long speculation.
Unfazed Le Bris has transformed Romaine Mundle from flop to Clarke successor and fellow left-winger Tommy Watson is set for a £10m move to Brighton this summer after his first-team breakthrough under Le Bris.
Regis Le Bris on cusp of something special at Sunderland
Sunderland’s remarkable rise from relegation worriers to title contenders in under 12 months has been staggering, and that has came to fruition in no small part thanks to Le Bris’ stewardship.
In his first season as a head coach in England, the Frenchman has led his side to a play-off place with five games to go whilst being financially out-muscled by the three sides above.
Taking a Sunderland side that were six points from the drop zone last season, to being 13 points clear in the top-six in a matter of months, has ensured his appointment as an unequivocal success.
With the Manager of Season announced before Sunderland’s season has been defined, it’s fair to argue the eventual title-winning head coach deserves the prize. Especially, with Sunderland struggling of late with play-offs certain but title hopes far out of reach.
Regardless, Le Bris has done a remarkable job, and can etch his name into Black Cats history forever if they become play-off victors next month.