"Frustrating" - Pundit makes Tony Mowbray, Michael Beale claim after Sunderland transfer reveal | OneFootball

New Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has hinted the club could sign some more experienced players this summer.

Pundit Carlton Palmer says it will be frustrating for previous Sunderland managers Tony Mowbray and Michael Beale that the club are targeting experienced players this summer.

After a lengthy search for a new manager that went on for over 120 days, the Black Cats have appointed Regis Le Bris as their new head coach.

Le Bris has left his role as manager of Lorient to take over at the Stadium of Light, and he experienced mixed fortunes in his two-year spell with the French outfit.

The 48-year-old led his side to a 10th-placed finish in Ligue 1 in his first season in charge, but his second season was much less successful, and Lorient were relegated from the top flight after finishing 17th in the table.

In his first press conference as Sunderland boss, Le Bris hinted at a potential change in the club's transfer strategy, hinting that they may look to bring in some more experienced players this summer.

"I’m comfortable with the [recruitment] process right now," Le Bris told the Sunderland Echo.

"I don’t know the result because it is very complex. I’m comfortable with the process.

"The team is young but the two previous seasons they gained some experience so I think it’s useful for the next events. We are looking at one or two more experienced players for the Championship. These kind of players could be young, could be older."

That would mark a big shift from the policy of recruiting young players that the club have adopted in recent years, and disagreements over transfers played a big part in the sacking of Mowbray in December.

Carlton Palmer questions Sunderland transfer strategy

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer said the fact Sunderland are targeting more experienced players this summer will be frustrating for Mowbray and Beale, but he believes there were mixed messages in Le Bris' comments.

"Boss Regis Le Bris has revealed that Sunderland are targeting one or two senior players and more experienced players within the league," Palmer said.

"It must be frustrating for previous managers, Michael Beale and Tony Mowbray, who were having to constantly fight with the hierarchy.

"We'll have to wait and see because he's not being very clear in what he's saying.

"He's saying we could target experienced players, but he's also said these kinds of players could be young or could be older, so it's kind of a mixed message that he's sending out. "We know that the hierarchy at Sunderland do not want to buy experienced players, but you do need experienced players with young players. "I'm not saying you have to bring loads and loads in, but you need some experienced players for the training and when things get a bit difficult. "We'll see what moves they make to bring players in, but certainly the young players could do with some experience around them. "From the season before with Tony Mowbray getting to the play-offs, they had a really frustrating and poor season last season, and it's been a long hunt to get a manager in. "Let's see what happens with this manager because there has to be a reason why they struggled to bring a manager in, and I'm assuming that is due to the policy about signing at the football club and bringing backroom staff in.

"As it stands at the moment, I haven't noticed that Le Bris has brought anybody with him, so I'm assuming he's going to work with the present staff that are in there, and that in itself is a problem, but we'll wait and see."

Sunderland must change recruitment policy this summer

As Palmer says, it is unclear from Le Bris' comments exactly what kind of experienced players Sunderland are targeting this summer, but there is no doubt the Black Cats need some more senior figures in the dressing room.

The change in policy will be particularly frustrating for Mowbray as his side were arguably a proven striker away from being a serious promotion contender, but Beale also experienced similar issues with the hierarchy in January.

Sunderland desperately need to bring in at least one experienced striker this summer, and with captain Corry Evans departing, adding some leadership to a young squad will be crucial, particularly with a head coach in Le Bris who has never managed in English football before.