There’s a new face joining Régis Le Bris’ coaching collective, and the hope is that former central defender José Fonte is going to fit in seamlessly with a group that already seems to be working brilliantly.
Having only just retired from playing, Fonte will arrive later this month with a modern-day understanding of current tactics and changing-room trends, plus a wealth of experience gained over more than 20 years in the senior game. From an outsider’s point of view, he appears to have enjoyed a second
wind as a player, stepping up after a spell at Southampton where he was a dependable and popular figure to become an international at the age of 31. From there, he enjoyed late success – winning the European Championship and Nations League, plus domestic honours with Lille and Braga. This winning mentality and drive to improve will hopefully be something we see more of now he is moving into coaching.
As yet, it is not clear exactly what role Fonte will be given. His job title will be ‘technical assistant’ and he will slot in alongside Alessandro Barcherini, Michael Proctor, Isidre Ramón Madir (analyst), James Brayne (set-pieces) and Neil Cutler (first-team goalkeeping coach), with the current assumption being that he will be helping to share their workload rather than usurping any particular individual. That would tie in with what has been seen before, at least, with the backroom team being quite fluid when previous members such as Pedro Ribeiro and Luciano Vulcano moved on.
Those two individuals were, strictly speaking, more senior figures and were classed as Assistant Head Coaches. It is interesting to note, though, that whilst assistants are often long-term associates of a manager, working with them at several clubs over the years, Le Bris appears happy to work without a trusted right-hand man. If anything, it seems as if he prefers to work alongside new figures – ones who may challenge him to think differently or bring fresh ideas to the table.
That flexible attitude is a clear strength of the group. Barcherini, for example, was goalkeeper-focused when he joined the club but has since seen his role expand, and Le Bris is happy for things to constantly evolve. The Head Coach doesn’t appear threatened by the arrival of new voices or new energy and has used the tools available magnificently to help mould a Sunderland squad capable of qualifying for UEFA competition. The additional games this has brought could well be one of the factors behind Fonte’s appointment. He himself added a number of European appearances to his CV towards the end of his career and, with the squad potentially being split into separate groups during double game weeks, there may now be a need for some coaches to work independently, focus on one or two individuals, or remain at base camp.
Having the right blend within the coaching team is as important a part of growing the club as recruiting players. Fresh perspectives and marginal gains soon add up, and backroom staff can be a hugely cost-effective way to improve a player’s output. So, it is always encouraging to see developments such as this, along with the rumoured modifications to the goalkeeping department at the Academy of Light.
It is understood that James Montgomery will be linking up permanently to work predominantly with the Under-21s, joining Pete Jameson and Jonny Maddison under the guidance of Cutler and Mark Prudhoe.
Montgomery and Jameson are both originally from Sunderland, whilst Maddison came through the academy ranks. As well as knowing the club and its ethos, they have all enjoyed lengthy careers, including spells in the Football League, whilst Prudhoe has a fantastic record of helping to develop young talent. Between them, they will hopefully provide the ideal environment for Sunderland’s goalkeepers to thrive, whilst Fonte and co. do the business on the training pitches too.
