Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris has highighted how coaches need an identity in order to excel as a manager, in particular at an English side.
After two seasons in charge of Lorient in Ligue 1, the second of which he faced relegation in, Sunderland came calling for Le Bris' services. Handing him a three-year deal, the Black Cats tasked the Frenchman with making a return to the Premier League.
They're in a strong position to do just that, too, after an impressive start to their Championship campaign. Le Bris won the Manager of the Month award in August, but the 49-year-old has laid bare his coaching philosophy, while also delving deep into why foreign managers are being preferred over English coaches in the top divisions at the moment.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris shares coaching secrets
"There are good and bad coaches in every country," Le Bris exclusively tells FourFourTwo. "I grew up a huge admirer of Arsene Wenger, I love watching Pep Guardiola’s teams and I rate Roberto De Zerbi highly for the work he did at Shakhtar Donetsk and Brighton.
"But I like any coach whose team has an identity. That is what I find interesting. In England, you look at Liverpool with their pressing game or Tottenham with their attacking drive. They have such identity. Liverpool are very interesting in the way Arne Slot has kept Jurgen Klopp’s pressing but introduced some of his own methods without hindering the team.
"To answer your question, every country has its own characteristics and it is better to mix all those qualities. Only then can you have the perfect manager. It is better to share than be dictated by one point of view. Sunderland is an English club and it is vital to keep that identity, and have a connection with its history, the city and of course the fans, but also to be open to new ideas and new methods."
Those ideas and methods resonated quickly among his players, with Sunderland top of the Championship by the end of October. For Le Bris, giving his players the courage to work for themselves on the pitch has proven a successful blueprint.
"When you arrive at a new club, it starts with how you imagine your team plays and that is my responsibility," Le Bris adds. "But it is only the players who have responsibility on the pitch. A coach can prepare, give advice and issue instructions but once a game kicks off, only they can create possibilities and solve problems.
"I have tried to create an environment so they all share the same football language. If Dan Neil sees something is wrong on the pitch, not only must he know how to solve it but so too must Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham. You must find the right solutions as a team, not as individuals. That is at the heart of my concept."
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