Régis Le Bris can’t wait to get started as the new Head Coach of Sunderland AFC - and is excited by the ‘unique opportunity’ presented to him at the Stadium of Light.
The 48-year-old will become the first Frenchman to lead the Club when he starts his new post on Monday 1 July.
Ahead of that date, Le Bris arrived Wearside and wasted no time in immersing himself with the Sunderland faithful as he greeted queuing supporters outside the Club’s new stadium store in anticipation of getting their hands on the new 2024-25 hummel home shirt.
Following this, the Frenchman caught up with safc.com to outline his Sunderland vision and share his gratitude for the warm Wearside reception.
“It's a great moment for me because I discovered a big stadium with an identity which is very, very strong,” he said.
“The fans are very proud of the team. For me, I can feel the energy in this stadium.
“Sunderland is a club which is quite different from many others.
“It's a great history and the community is very linked with this club.
“I can feel the energy and the passion around this club,” he continued.
“The foundations are very strong. It's all about history, but also about the future so we need to link together these two ideas and to build the future.
"I can feel the fans’ expectations, their energy, their willingness, their intensity and their support also.
“I had 30 minutes with them, and I could feel this energy with them."