It’s an opportunity to write something massive – Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris | OneFootball

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has challenged his players to write themselves into the club’s rich history as they target a return to the Premier League via the drama of the play-offs.

The Black Cats, who take a 2-1 lead into the second leg of their Sky Bet Championship semi-final showdown with Coventry at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night, boast an honours roll which includes six league titles and two FA Cups, albeit their last major prize arrived on Wearside in 1973.

However, they have spent the last eight seasons outside English football’s top flight and head coach Le Bris and his team have a chance to address that situation in what could prove a pivotal few weeks for the club.

Asked if the size of the club had only really become apparent to him in the last few weeks, the former Lorient boss said: “Not really. From the first minute, it was clear that this club is huge with a big history, with a strong fanbase and so on.

“Obviously when you live these moments with this region, these fans, this club, the journalists and so on, you can feel how important the club is.

“But at the same time, it was before me and probably will be after me as well, so I’m a part of the process.”

When it was put to him that he and his players could make themselves part of that history in the next few weeks, Le Bris replied: “Yes, it’s a big opportunity to write something massive, I agree.”

The game is arguably the biggest of the Frenchman’s career to date, but he will head into it in confident mood after Friday night’s victory at the CBS Arena in which his masterplan paid off in style.

Frank Lampard’s Coventry dominated possession – they enjoyed a 76 per cent share of the ball – but were ultimately undone by goals from Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda as the visitors struck in devastating fashion on the counter-attack.

Le Bris, who will have dangerous winger Romaine Mundle available after a hamstring injury, if only for a cameo role, was delighted with the way the game unfolded and insists he would not be concerned in the slightest if it was repeated on Wearside.

He said: “This is Sunderland, this is our identity. If we have 25 per cent possession and win 2-0, I don’t think our fans will mind.

“We like having the ball, we want it, of course. I won’t say that we accept this level of possession. But it was how the game went and we knew that in this dynamic we could win the game. We want the ball, but we are not Barcelona.”