Sunderland could hire “genius” Le Bris upgrade

Let’s break it down. This season, Sunderland have led the way for the Premier League‘s promoted outfits.

Burnley have been relegated, but the Black Cats are sitting pretty in tenth place, and Leeds United are currently nine points clear of the relegation zone. This is a feat, with the previous two terms seeing all three of the newbies pulled straight back down.

The Stadium of Light has been a fortress, impregnable until after the new year. Sunderland have been disciplined and they have been coherent, probably to an abnormal level, when considering the expensive summer spending and the perils that come with integrating so many fresh faces.

And for this, we must praise Regis Le Bris, who has made it all happen, ending years of purgatory in the Championship and League One. These were dark days, but the French coach took over in 2024 and guided Sunderland up. He has kept Sunderland up.

Kyril Louis-Dreyfuss is clearly ambitious to a fault, though, with Le Bris’ job remarkably at risk.

Why Le Bris’ Sunderland job is at risk

As the Premier League season winds down, Sunderland can rest easy in the knowledge that they will not be threatened by the relegation dogfight. Instead, they can push for Europe, only four points behind sixth-place Brighton.

There is a genuine chance that it might happen, but according to talkSPORT, the owners have not ruled out a change in the dugout this summer, should the Black Cats miss out on a ticket into Europe.

This is controversial news, with Le Bris taking the Wearsiders to territory uncharted for many years. If the owners are serious, they will need to appoint the perfect replacement.

While Andoni Iraola would be an interesting pick, outgoing Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner might actually be the perfect replacement, with his title-winning experience bearing dividends in south London.

Sunderland have not yet been linked with any coaches, but you’d think that Glasner would be right at the top of their list, especially with Newcastle United considering a swoop as dismissal talk around Eddie Howe around intensifies.

Why Glasner could be Sunderland’s own Iraola

Le Bris is a top manager, one of the best in modern Sunderland history. However, his counter-attacking style may well form the centre of the board’s ostensible conundrum.

Perhaps they feel that the groundwork has been done and that now is the time to make headway into Europe with a progressive style of football.

For as impressive as Sunderland have been, they aren’t all that creative, and Glasner could help redirect the side while maintaining the intense, aggressive core that Le Bris has worked so hard to piece together.

Of course, you could argue that Le Bris has only moved forward since taking over, and that to dispatch him now would be to put a spanner in the works. This is true, and why it is doubly important that Sunderland need to get it right, should they decide to make a change.

It can pay off, though. Glasner could actually emerge as the club’s own version of Iraola, who replaced Gary Neil at Bournemouth in 2023 after the pragmatic coach had triumphed in keeping the newly-promoted Cherries in the Premier League.

They have only gone from strength to strength since, seventh in the Premier League right now, only six points behind Liverpool on the edge of the Champions League zone.

Iraola might be a difficult one to appoint, but Glasner, who won the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2025, also has the experience to take the reins and transform Sunderland into a more progressive outfit. He has been hailed as a “genius” by former Palace man John Salako.

Crystal Palace have come on leaps and bounds with Glasner in charge. Now, he could relocate north and lead the next phase at the Stadium of Light.

Whether that is the correct call, though, is going to split opinion in Sunderland.

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