Latest news with #BlackCats'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Henderson, Mount & Delap: Gabbiadini on Sunderland transfers
Marco Gabbiadini has joined the list of Sunderland pundits pushing for Jordan Henderson to return to his boyhood club following the Black Cats' promotion to the Premier League. The former striker told BBC Radio Newcastle, "He must be doing okay because he's still in the England squad, isn't he? I haven't seen any film or anything, but he must be doing alright if they're watching him and he's got picked in the next England squad. "It would be a sort of a fairy tale, wouldn't it? And it does happen sometimes," he added. "He's been an outstanding player. He's gone on to be one of the best players in the country at times and win the top trophies, so I think he probably would be an asset. It probably goes a little bit against what the club is all about at the moment, but maybe they will make some exceptions for when we get in the top flight." When asked about realistic options Sunderland could sign this summer, Gabbiadini struggled because of the unknown approach sporting director Kristjaan Speakman will take. Will they continue showing faith in youth, or will Kyril Louis-Dreyfus dig deep into his wealth to try to lure stars to the Stadium of Light? He said: "I think we might be looking for players if we are going to spend - and this is the big question - someone like Mason Mount at Man United, who they've got such a turnover of players and huge numbers and they're looking to change that again this year. "He's a player who's got massive potential, I think. Maybe he hasn't fully reached it. Those kinds of players would be great for us." Sunderland have been the youngest side in the Championship this season and are likely to repeat that feat in the Premier League next season but Gabbiadini would push for some veterans to join the ranks. "Obviously, Mepham's got some Premier League experience. You would think at the back we're not too bad, but I think an influential midfielder and somebody who's a goalscorer, whether that's a 10 or a striker. Obviously we've got Le Fee on a permanent deal now as well." "I think the lad Delap is decent as well if he wanted to stay in the Premier League, but it looks like he's going to get a shot at one of the big clubs, isn't it? "We see it with so many young English players. They go to a Chelsea and you don't see them for a couple of years. "Mason Mount's probably had some injury problems as well, but it's a big group. When you come back from injury, you've got a lot of players in front of you. It does make a lot of sense to me to come to a club where you will start." Listen to the full episode and more on BBC Sounds.
The Herald Scotland
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Regis Le Bris focused on making sure Sunderland take their chance to step up
However while acknowledging the potential financial impact of ending the Black Cats' eight-year exile from the top flight, Le Bris insists all he can concentrate on is what happens on the pitch against Sheffield United in Saturday's Sky Bet Championship play-off final at Wembley. 🎙️ RLB on the last week: 'We have kept the usual schedule. We have focused on our identity. I asked the players at the start of the season what they wanted to achieve. They said promotion. Now here is our chance…' — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) May 22, 2025 He said: 'I know the details, but I can't focus on it because my only focus is the game. After that, we'll have consequences, positive or negative. 'It will be positive because even if we are not promoted at the end of the season, we can feel that the club is growing again and we have good signs for the future.' Sunderland's rise under Le Bris has been little short of remarkable. The club's slide into League One, where they spent four seasons, resulted in tough financial decisions. However, astute recruitment and a conveyor belt of Academy graduates has provided the current head coach with a team which includes the likes of Jobe Bellingham, Chris Rigg and Brighton-bound Tommy Watson, who have all attracted the attention of prospective buyers. Jobe Bellingham is one of the young Sunderland stars being monitored by potential buyers (Steve Welsh/PA) Asked if promotion to the Premier League and the money that would bring might help him to keep his team together longer than he might otherwise be able to, Le Bris said with a smile: 'I don't know really because I'm not the owner. But probably it can help.' Owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus will hope he has those decisions to make following the final whistle at Wembley firm in the knowledge that next season's Championship may be even more competitive with the wealth of Birmingham and Wrexham arriving from League One. Le Bris said: 'When you have your opportunity, it's important to catch it because we don't know the future. It's difficult to anticipate the future, so stay connected now with the opportunity and try your best.' Whatever happens beneath the famous arch, Le Bris is confident he will be a better coach than he was at the start of the campaign for what he has been through since, just as he believes he was 12 months ago in the wake of Lorient's relegation. He said: 'This experience was tough. When you get relegated at the end of the season and you suffer during the whole season, it's tough for the club, the squad, the coach and for the staff. 'But at the same time, it was really useful because you learn in these circumstances. At the end of the season, I thought I was a better coach even if the outcome was really negative, so it was useful for this reason.' Asked if the same would apply this time around, he said: 'Probably, yes. I hope so.'
North Wales Chronicle
14-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Regis Le Bris urges Sunderland to finish the job after last-gasp Coventry win
Defender Dan Ballard's header in the third-minute of stoppage time after extra-time clinched a 1-1 draw with Coventry on the night and a 3-2 aggregate win to send the Stadium of Light into raptures. However, the Frenchman knows the Black Cats' late heroics will count for little if they do not get past Sheffield United at Wembley on May 24 to seal a return to the Premier League after an absence of eight years. Asked about his emotions on the final whistle, Le Bris said: 'It shows that this season was fantastic. I think it's really important to say that because you can lose, you can win in the end, but what we lived together this season was absolutely brilliant and we don't have to forget that. 'I'VE NEVER SEEN SCENES LIKE IT' 🗣️ — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) May 13, 2025 'After that, it's really important to think about Wembley now because one more game, it will be another tough challenge and we are now really focused on that future.' Ballard's header, which ultimately settled a tie which was fought tooth and nail over two legs, came as Sunderland finally rallied after seeing their 2-1 first leg lead cancelled out by Ephron Mason-Clark with Coventry enjoying the better of much of what had gone before. Le Bris knows they will have to steel themselves once again for the clash with Chris Wilder's Blades with both sides having won their home game during the regular season. He said: 'They are a really good team, well-organised with different threats, good experience. They were in the Premier League last season, so another tough challenge. 'But I think to be promoted at the end, you have to break something and it will be tough, but we'll have our ambition, we'll have our desire to win and we'll give all the quality we have in this group, the character, the ambition and so on.' For opposite number Frank Lampard, who claimed with some justification that City had been the better side over the two legs, there was intense disappointment. Lampard, who played down a confrontation as spectators invaded the pitch at the end of the game, said: 'It's a cruel way to lose a football match when there's so much at stake. But they shouldn't be too, too disappointed. 'In the football sense, they will be – I won't take that away from them, they all feel that a bit – but they way they've played from where we've come from in this last five months… 'It's one thing getting here and getting into the play-offs from where we were; it's another thing to play these two games in the way we played them.'
North Wales Chronicle
14-05-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Dan Ballard's last-gasp extra-time header sends Sunderland to Wembley
The central defender struck in the third minute of stoppage time after the clock had ticked past the 120-minute mark with the aggregate score tied at 2-2 to make it 1-1 on the night and book Regis Le Bris' side a final showdown with Sheffield United on Saturday, May 24. Ephron Mason-Clark's 76th-minute volley dragged Frank Lampard's men level in the tie as the Black Cats' stubborn resistance was finally broken, to the dismay of the locals among a bumper crowd of 46,530 at the Stadium of Light, but redemption arrived in the nick of time. WE'RE GOING TO WEMBLEY!! 😍#TilTheEnd — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) May 13, 2025 With the LED boards surrounding the pitch significantly closer than usual to the playing surface – perhaps no coincidence with Milan van Ewijk's long throw among the visitors' armoury – the game kicked off amid thunderous noise on a night when the hosts announced their decision to name the West Stand after 1973 FA Cup-winning goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery. In a high-tempo opening, Mason-Clark warmed Anthony Patterson's hands with a well-struck 17th-minute effort, but it was opposite number Ben Wilson who had to be at his best to keep out Eliezer Mayenda's skidding attempt after he had turned Matt Grimes superbly and raced in on goal. Tatsuhiro Sakamoto dragged a shot wide from the edge of the area after Grimes' corner had been cleared on the half-hour and Jack Rudoni missed his kick in front of goal after the home defence had failed to deal fully with a Grimes free-kick. Sakamoto skied over from Rudoni's ball back across goal and Rudoni was equally inaccurate from Mason-Clark's knock-down as an increasingly open half drew to a close with the tie as evenly-poised as it was ahead of kick-off. The Sky Blues picked up where they had left off, Sakamoto seeing a 52nd-minute strike from a Grimes corner blocked before Van Ewijk blasted the rebound wide, and although Patrick Roberts scuffed a shot harmlessly off target seven minutes later, Coventry continued to look the more likely scorers. Red and white nerves were jangling on and off the pitch, although they might have been settled had Wilson not got down at his near post to turn away Trai Hume's 67th-minute volley from Luke O'Nien's cross. The Black Cats dropped ever deeper as Coventry continued to probe, and they were made to pay with 14 minutes remaining when Mason-Clark volleyed Van Ewijk's cross in off the foot of a post to level the aggregate scores. Romaine Mundle saw his extra-time shot cleared off the line by fellow substitute Josh Eccles, but as Sunderland made their final push, Ballard crashed a header off the underside of the crossbar from Enzo Le Fee's last-ditch corner to snatch victory and keep alive his side's hopes of ending their eight-year Premier League exile.
Leader Live
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Regis Le Bris urges Sunderland to finish the job after last-gasp Coventry win
Defender Dan Ballard's header in the third-minute of stoppage time after extra-time clinched a 1-1 draw with Coventry on the night and a 3-2 aggregate win to send the Stadium of Light into raptures. However, the Frenchman knows the Black Cats' late heroics will count for little if they do not get past Sheffield United at Wembley on May 24 to seal a return to the Premier League after an absence of eight years. Asked about his emotions on the final whistle, Le Bris said: 'It shows that this season was fantastic. I think it's really important to say that because you can lose, you can win in the end, but what we lived together this season was absolutely brilliant and we don't have to forget that. 'I'VE NEVER SEEN SCENES LIKE IT' 🗣️ — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) May 13, 2025 'After that, it's really important to think about Wembley now because one more game, it will be another tough challenge and we are now really focused on that future.' Ballard's header, which ultimately settled a tie which was fought tooth and nail over two legs, came as Sunderland finally rallied after seeing their 2-1 first leg lead cancelled out by Ephron Mason-Clark with Coventry enjoying the better of much of what had gone before. Le Bris knows they will have to steel themselves once again for the clash with Chris Wilder's Blades with both sides having won their home game during the regular season. He said: 'They are a really good team, well-organised with different threats, good experience. They were in the Premier League last season, so another tough challenge. 'But I think to be promoted at the end, you have to break something and it will be tough, but we'll have our ambition, we'll have our desire to win and we'll give all the quality we have in this group, the character, the ambition and so on.' For opposite number Frank Lampard, who claimed with some justification that City had been the better side over the two legs, there was intense disappointment. Lampard, who played down a confrontation as spectators invaded the pitch at the end of the game, said: 'It's a cruel way to lose a football match when there's so much at stake. But they shouldn't be too, too disappointed. 'In the football sense, they will be – I won't take that away from them, they all feel that a bit – but they way they've played from where we've come from in this last five months… 'It's one thing getting here and getting into the play-offs from where we were; it's another thing to play these two games in the way we played them.'
