Gus Poyet on Sunderland's £149.9m transfer spend, thoughts on survival chances and Régis Le Bris

Sunderland Echo

Former Sunderland boss Gus Poyet gives his verdict on the Black Cats’ huge £149.9million summer transfer spend, their chances of Premier League survival, and the impact of head coach Régis Le Bris...   In this chat with James Copley, Poyet shares his insight on the club’s bold approach, new signings, and what it will take to thrive in England’s top flight!   📌 Topics covered in this video:   - Sunderland’s record-breaking summer transfer window  - Thoughts on head coach Régis Le Bris  - Premier League survival predictions  - Poyet’s advice for the season ahead   💬 What do you think of Sunderland’s transfer business? Comment below!

Transcript

00:00It looks to me like it's a kind of restart for the coach.

00:04You know, you need to reshape the team because there's going to be many changes.

00:08The quickest the players they can use to play together and also the new players,

00:15because most of the time, you know, people from abroad adapt to the Premier League,

00:20which is different and unique, the better for everybody.

00:24So it's going to be a matter of seeing if they can start in a nice way

00:29because I remember last year, the two or three teams,

00:32especially the two teams that they didn't start well, they were then too far.

00:36No, Sheffield was a long back and even Eastridge,

00:41it was a moment that they were too far back.

00:44It happened to Burnley before, it happened.

00:46So it's important that you start and you maintain yourself.

00:49I'm not saying you stay in the top 10 because nobody's asking for that,

00:52but just in contact with the team.

00:55So important to start.

00:57You met Reggie Stabris last season during the summer, you got to speak to him.

01:03Were you even surprised by how well Sunderland did last season

01:07and get promoted to the Premier League?

01:08Did you expect that when you spoke to him last season?

01:11No, I'm going to be honest, no.

01:13Not for two or three reasons.

01:14One, because he was alone.

01:18I suppose you know he didn't bring any of the French assistants

01:21and I've been up in there and been a foreigner, alone.

01:26I remember talking to the people from the club, to the owners,

01:30and saying, bring him someone, please help him.

01:33Give him a little bit of support.

01:34Someone who can go and eat even.

01:37And then they brought a coach.

01:38I don't know from where, but they brought a coach.

01:40I think he said that he was very quick to understand what he needed.

01:46I think it's very intelligent, I suppose,

01:49because the team started very well.

01:51And from the beginning, they were consistent.

01:55It was a moment I thought, OK, they're going to be there.

01:57And they're about.

01:58A playoff 100%.

01:59So it was, by me, the season, it was done, the playoff for me.

02:02But then I go really worried.

02:05I nearly say when we, you know, Sunderland,

02:08when we lost the last five games of the season.

02:10Like, not now.

02:12You know, don't lose the momentum.

02:16And why I was surprised?

02:19Because being totally honest,

02:21it shows that football is incredible.

02:23I don't think that Sunderland deserved to get through commentary.

02:26And I don't think that they were the third winners of the final.

02:31I don't.

02:32I think that it was the momentum.

02:34It was the time.

02:37You know, it's your moment, your season.

02:40And they went up.

02:40I think previously they had better chances.

02:42And they were better, you know,

02:43when they lost the playoff a few years back.

02:46But this one, it was like,

02:48because the first game at Coventry,

02:49Coventry was exceptional.

02:51And Sunderland wins the game 2-1 with two shots.

02:54And then the second leg is to the last second.

02:57I mean, it was like, wow.

02:59And they get through.

03:00And then they go to Wembley and Sheffield is unbelievable.

03:05And somehow, okay.

03:07So it was the time.

03:08Now, that shows that the consistency was the key

03:14and the belief of the player, the mental side.

03:17Because if you were not together and mental ready to go,

03:20you wouldn't win those three games, okay.

03:24And that's something that the coach needs to create now.

03:27Quickly.

03:28New players.

03:29Foreigners.

03:30Sunderland.

03:31Up north.

03:31You know.

03:32Do it now.

03:32That is summer.

03:33Don't wait for the winter because you know you're there.

03:36But, yeah, it's going to be interesting to see.

03:40And Gus, you talk about the playoffs there.

03:42But have you ever seen anything like those three games?

03:46Obviously, you managed Sunderland to some brilliant results.

03:49I was in the crowd.

03:50Manchester United away in the League Cup.

03:51The Newcastle games as well.

03:53You know, really special.

03:55Really memorable.

03:56But those three games, the two against Coventry.

03:57The last-minute goals.

03:59The way the fans reacted.

04:01The noise.

04:02I've never experienced anything like that.

04:04It was just incredible.

04:05Yeah, it probably was, you know, the years waiting after so many years being away from

04:12the Premier League brings something extra.

04:14Me, my first moment at Sunderland is Borini.

04:18Borini.

04:18I mean, Newcastle, it was, it was explosion.

04:22It was, wow.

04:24Incredible.

04:25Okay.

04:26The two wins at Newcastle, they are away.

04:28They are different.

04:28No, it's a different kind of connection with the fans.

04:31They are beautiful because they are away.

04:33They are magnificent, but they are away.

04:34But I think the biggest explosion, it was, it was the Borini moment.

04:39And when I was watching that last goal against Coventry in the second leg and seeing that

04:44stadium, I was watching the television.

04:47It was tremendous.

04:48Yeah, I can imagine.

04:49It was, because I went late 50-50, you know, the fans.

04:52But I think, I think the moment of the biggest explosion is that, is that late goal at home

04:57in the second leg against Coventry was tremendous.

04:59And, and, and, and then is when I believe, yes, anything can happen.

05:04Even playing bad against Sheffield, because this is what the, the team is, is playing for.

05:09It was, it was tremendous.

05:10It was nice.

05:11I think, I think it was time as well, because every year, you know, like, yes, but, yes,

05:16but, come on, do it.

05:18Bang, in.

05:19See you later.

05:20And Gus, have you been sort of, we mentioned the spending earlier this summer, but has that

05:25taken you a little bit by surprise in a sense, just the level of it?

05:27I think it's well over a hundred million now.

05:29I, I was surprised, to be honest.

05:31Yes.

05:31I, I was surprised.

05:33Yes.

05:33I, I thought they would spend something, but I didn't spend over a hundred million.

05:36No, I didn't.

05:37I didn't.

05:38And, uh, interesting.

05:40Now, important.

05:43A few years back, Poulain went up, spent a hundred million, they went down.

05:49That, that didn't give you salvation.

05:52Okay?

05:52The important is that those players, they arrive, they settle down very quickly, the

05:57coach reshape, and you start well.

06:00Like I said, don't start bad and stay away from the other ones.

06:03Start well, maintain in touch with all the teams, and then it's up to you, you know?

06:09Then you can add in January, if you're lucky with the injuries, blah, blah, blah.

06:12But it's important to start well.

06:14Look, two last questions for you.

06:17I don't think, as a player or as a coach, I don't think you ever lost to Newcastle.

06:20Can Sunderland beat, can Sunderland beat Newcastle next season?

06:24And can they stay up?

06:25Listen, I, look, one, I'm not going to miss that game.

06:29I hope I don't have a game and I need to be watching.

06:32No, no, I'm not going to miss that game.

06:34Uh, I think it's going to be nice for the coach.

06:38Amazing for the coach.

06:39The coach will realise.

06:40Okay?

06:40Uh, to play, same level.

06:42Uh, and I think Newcastle this year, they are worse.

06:48So, big chance.

06:50Okay?

06:51Big chance.

06:52Uh, but, uh, yeah, there is no better feeling.

06:56Look, I, I, I don't know if you know this story.

06:58Maybe you heard it from me.

07:00Uh, after a week, being in there, uh, we left the training line like at 6 p.m.

07:05or 7 p.m.

07:06because we were all late at the training room.

07:08And in the traffic light, they stopped us, some fans,

07:11and they started shouting and I put the window down.

07:14And they said to me, don't lose against Newcastle.

07:18Big them up.

07:19And I went, okay, no window up.

07:23I look at my assistant, Tano, I said, Tano, we know.

07:26You know, that's.

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