It’s a French thing

Photo by Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images

There have been a few periods of what the media would like to call ‘A French Revolution’ at English football clubs over the years. One of the most famous was the one that Arsene Wenger took to Arsenal, building a squad that would in 2003/04 go unbeaten for an entire Premier League season.

Sunderland are in the throes of doing this right now, and it’s not just on the pitch where the dulcet tones of French voices can be heard. From the owner’s box right down to the head coach’s office, a modern French footballing

approach is being instilled, and although not yet proven to work in the top flight, it’s become abundantly clear that we don’t just want to make the numbers up next season.

Kyril Louis Dreyfus has had his doubters since taking over the club back in 2021, and has been second to perhaps only Kritjaan Speakman when it comes to being on the wrong end of some often and quite frankly over-the-top criticism. The idea that he could only spend what his mam let him has been blown out of the water this summer, but it comes after carefully making sure we spend within our means.

Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Regis Le Bris has come in and got us promoted in his first season, marking a perfect start to his life on Wearside. After the sacking of Michael Beale, an unknown foreign manager as our next boss had an air of inevitability about it. Lo and behold, this is exactly what we got, and there was even less surprise when he turned out to be French. Someone who you would class as a footballing turbo nerd, RLB was a breath of fresh air last summer, and his meticulous approach to the sport remains something I both love and admire.

It’s been a long time since we saw a head coach at Sunderland get results and get us moving in the right direction, but also be grounded at any given moment. This makes his moments of celebration even more special, and him being soaked in champagne in the dressing room at Wembley was the cherry on top of the cake.

The French players in our ranks have had more mixed fortunes, and as several look destined for the exit, we will still have a good core for the Premier League. Enzo Le Fee and Wilson Isidor are two who will take to the top flight like ducks to water, in my humble opinion. Wilson is great on the counterattack, and as a club that will need to play this way a lot next season, he could be a vital cog in our attack.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

These other French mentions have all played a part in getting Sunderland back to the Premier League. The most recent addition to the contingent, Floren Ghisolfi, will keep us there. Our new sporting director joined from Italian giants Roma, and his influence in signings was felt before he’d even officially been announced.

Getting ready for the Premier League goes further than signing the right players. It includes building the infrastructure of the club so we can both act like and be a top flight outfit. The appointment of Ghisolfi only happens with us in the Premier League, now the countdown is on to see if he too can contribute to the recent great story of SAFC, like his fellow countrymen who have made their homes on Wearside.

More from rokerreport.sbnation.com:

• Roundup: Sunderland 'Stranded' In Southampton; Moyes Bemoans Bad Luck & Watmore Claims Unity
• As Yet Another Defeat Blends In With All The Others, Questions About Our Future Still Remain
• The Relegations: #2 - 1969-70
• BCA: The Magnificent Twenty Seven
• Fan Focus: The Ugly Inside Talk Saints v SAFC
• Is Ellis Ready To Embrace The Drop?
• PLP: Can Chelsea Or Liverpool Win The League?