00:00Two wins from their first three Premier League matches has a nice ring to it at Sunderland.
00:06The mood at the club and indeed in the city is high, given how they've adapted so seamlessly to life in the Premier League.
00:14For a club that came up via the Championship playoffs, they have not shown themselves to be weaklings as of yet.
00:21Just how has this been achieved though?
00:23How have Sunderland gone from winning the playoff final in the dying seconds to being sat in the top half of the Premier League, albeit after just three games played so far?
00:32Well, the Blackhearts have certainly tried to create a close-knit feel inside their camp, something which actually originated when Regis Lebris first arrived on Wearside,
00:42which saw them through all of last season and the playoff campaign and was symbolised by the motto Till the End,
00:48which rang so true at the Stadium of Light against Coventry City and at Wembley against Sheffield United.
00:54From Lebris' own perspective though, he revealed how he personally makes players feel at home at Sunderland in order to get the best out of them on the pitch
01:03and bring home the precious points that will be so crucial this season.
01:09This process begins at the Academy of Light from when the players first arrived to join the Black Cats.
01:15Lebris made abundantly clear ahead of the trip to face Crystal Palace next up in the Premier League.
01:23It started with the first connection because I was involved in the process.
01:29So I analysed the player, I spoke with them.
01:35So the connection started at that moment and then they decided to join us.
01:40So it was a long process and then here, I think it's just a question of relationship, try to be close to them,
01:47to welcome them and then to introduce progressively the different layers of the game model,
01:55trying to stay simple because it's not like a big machine, we have to have just two or three simple rules
02:04and then play and exploit your talent.
02:08And given that you've been here over a year now and everything that's been experienced,
02:11everything that's been achieved, does this feel like your second home now?
02:15Yes, more or less, the time spent here and I'm feeling really comfortable in this club, so it's easier, yeah.
02:24And obviously we're only three games and nothing's decided yet, but in terms of the feel you get out of the club,
02:30and what's been experienced in the first three games, does this feel like it was always meant to be a Premier League club?
02:35Yeah, I think the dimension, the power of the history, the identity, the fan base,
02:45it's really connected with that level, but after that we have to deserve to be at that level on the pitch
02:51and I think it's our main point now.
02:55Sunderland feeling like a Premier League club certainly helped them in this summer's transfer window,
03:01although Labrice added that it was a difficult period, but one that ultimately produced good results for the club.
03:09It's really important for a manager, for a club to feel that the words are connected with the facts
03:17and it was really the case, it wasn't an easy transfer window, the output I think is really positive,
03:25but the amount of work done during this period was really impressive and so I'm really proud,
03:34because it's still the beginning of the season, probably in 10 or 15 games we'll have a better understanding of the problems in this league,
03:46so we need to wait, but we expect different issues, we know that in different squads.
03:56Now as good as Sunderland's start to life back in the top flight has been, tougher tests are now upon them,
04:02starting with the trip to Selhurst Park. Crystal Palace are enjoying the most successful period in the club's history at present,
04:09having recently won the FA Cup, before crowning that by also claiming the community shield.
04:15Like Sunderland, Palace like to create an intimidating atmosphere for opponents,
04:20and how well Sunderland deal with that on Saturday, being against them, could sway their performance
04:25and determine what the Blackcats come away from South London with.
04:29Nothing is decided yet in the Premier League, far from it actually,
04:33and Sunderland must continue to show their unity, and indeed their ability, for the weeks and months to come.
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