The Sunderland head coach was full of praise for his two key players in the win over Hull City. Régis Le Bris hailed Chris Mepham after the Sunderland loanee put up another impressive performance at Hull City on Sunday afternoon. Mepham came from Bournemouth on deadline day and has swiftly established himself in the side while Dan Ballard recovers from an ankle injury, producing perhaps his greatest performance yet as the Black Cats went back to the top of the table with a 1-0 win.
Le Bris called the 26-year-old a ‘gift’ to him as head coach. “It’s certainly not difficult to manage this type of player,” Le Bris told the audience. “He plays for the team, has a lot of experience, and is very vital in the locker room and on the field, both individually and as a group. It’s like a present for a coach and a team like us. His maturity is tremendously beneficial to us.”
Le Bris was also full of admiration for Wilson Isidor, whose outstanding solo goal proved the difference between the two teams. Isidor already has three goals in four starts since shifting to centre forward, and Sunderland’s head coach believes there is much more to come from the Frenchman. “He took the goal very well,” he explained.
“The path a player takes can be unpredictable, but when he signed, I knew he was adaptable. I knew he could play as a left winger, right winger, or striker. I knew he could play as a striker. He has that ability to eat up space. He can run and run. Finally, he maintained his concentration to deal with the goalie and complete the finish. It was a fantastic goal.
“I am satisfied with how he has started. He possesses many abilities and has demonstrated his ability to perform at this level. He also has many elements to grow, and having traits and a commitment to improve, as well as knowing you can improve many aspects of your game, is beneficial in the long run. Isidor is looking like an inspired piece of recruitment for the Black Cats after their well-documented striker issues last season, and Le Bris is hopeful that it will continue to work out for all parties.
“There is always competition for good players – maybe we had an advantage because I knew him before,” he said. “I was connected with his story and his environment. It’s still a question of confidence with a player, with a coach and with a club as well. Sunderland is a huge club and, for him, it marks a new step in his career. He wanted to go back to Europe, and I believe Sunderland is very important to him. The relationship between us may have made a difference. It’s not always about money; it’s about providing a conducive learning atmosphere. I believe Wilson is like that. He wants to learn, improve, and do his best for the team.
He felt like way during our chats.”
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