Régis Le Bris provides Sunderland team news and reacts to Kristjaan Speakman exit | OneFootball

Régis Le Bris will brief the media ahead of Sunderland’s FA Cup fourth round tie at Oxford United on Sunday, providing team news and responding to the breaking departure of sporting director Kristjaan Speakman.

The club said in a statement that Speakman had left with immediate effect after playing a major part in rebuilding the football operation, restoring Premier League status and laying strong foundations for the next phase.

Appointed in December 2020, Speakman oversaw a comprehensive restructure of recruitment and performance, and the Board has now chosen to continue without him. His tenure featured three Wembley wins, including a first at the national stadium since 1973 and two Play-Off Final victories. Director of Football Florent Ghisolfi continues to lead the sporting programme, having assumed all football operations in July 2025.

Granit Xhaka and Bertrand Traore are about a fortnight from fitness, so they will not feature this weekend. Le Bris will give a broader update on the squad and is minded to pick a strong side, as he did in the third round. He noted the schedule has been demanding, with two recent games against top-six opponents, so tweaks are likely.

Le Bris expects a difficult tie, citing Oxford’s direct threat in the most recent meeting. He says Sunderland must handle those strengths because tidy football alone will not be enough, and they will need a robust version of themselves to progress.

Source: Sunderland Echo