Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris got a biomechanics doctorate and has Arsenal legend to thank

By Gbam Godwin On Nov 5, 2025

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris got a biomechanics doctorate and has Arsenal legend to thank.

Regis Le Bris and his high-flying Sunderland are the talk of the Premier League.

Regis Le Bris and Sunderland may move up to second position in the Premier League table with a win over Everton on Monday night, highlighting the French head coach’s excellent performance since taking over.

The 49-year-old arrived at the Stadium of Light in June last year, having mutually parted ways with Lorient following their relegation to Ligue 2.

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Le Bris coached Sunderland to promotion and returned them to the top flight after an eight-year absence, after signing a three-year contract that piqued the interest of few supporters who were unaware of his brief coaching career up to this point.

Le Bris primarily focused on youth coaching until obtaining a professional coaching licence in May 2022, 16 years before completing his doctorate in sport physiology and biomechanics at Rennes 2 University.

He submitted a thesis on accelerometer-based running after earning a diplome universitaire (DU) in the mental training of high-level athletes from the same university in 2010. However, it was Arsenal great Arsene Wenger who persuaded him to become a coach while at Monaco.

“I really liked Monaco under Arsene Wenger,” Le Bris told The Sun last year. “I wasn’t a fan, but when I was younger, I admired this team and his style.

Regis Le Bris was influenced by Arsene Wenger and Monaco. (Image: Getty).

“If a player, team, or manager had a certain style, I enjoyed dissecting how they played, their personality… there was something unique.

“It was new—with many young players and a proactive style of play. I was young, therefore it was tough for me to analyse the various parts of a game.

However, I believe it was due to emotional differences between the teams. “When you witness a football team, you may think, ‘They are playing well’ or ‘This is interesting’. But you don’t know why; it simply makes you feel different.”

As a player, I was interested in learning about the game because I lacked the necessary technical or physical skills. “When you have a special gift, you simply have to use it and perform well on the pitch — but I was average everywhere.

“So I had to think how I could compete with stronger players, understand the game better and be connected with the other players to solve problems.”

Arsenal and Le Bris were on the same page when it came to Wenger, who was hired by the Gunners in 1996 before becoming one of the most legendary managers in club and Premier League history.