Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has expressed his gratitude to Mike Dodds following his departure to take over as Wycombe Wanderers’ new manager.
Dodds, who was on the bench for Sunderland’s 3-2 win over Middlesbrough on Tuesday night, will now leave Wearside to take up his first permanent managerial role in League One.
Integral Role at Sunderland
The 38-year-old has had three spells as interim head coach at the Stadium of Light and was retained as part of Le Bris’ backroom staff when the Frenchman arrived in the summer.
Le Bris leaned heavily on Dodds’ experience in his early days at the club and has acknowledged the important role he played.
“He was really important for the club, but for me as well,” said Le Bris. “When I came here, he helped me a lot to manage the first sessions, the first connections with the team and the club. And we found a good set-up together.
“Now he has decided to leave because he wants to become a head coach and this will be a very good opportunity for him. We have to accept that but for sure, there is regret for me because we worked well together.”
Will Sunderland Look for a Replacement?
Earlier this season, Sunderland strengthened their coaching staff by appointing Pedro Ribeiro as an assistant head coach to work alongside Dodds. Michael Proctor and goalkeeping coach Alessandro Barcherini complete the senior coaching setup at the club.
However, Le Bris has yet to decide whether Dodds will be directly replaced.
“I’m not sure yet whether we will replace him,” he said. “I just wanted to focus on the game against Middlesbrough and then we will look at it a bit later.”
Middlesbrough Win
Writer’s View
Dodds’ departure marks a significant change for Sunderland, given his deep ties with the club and strong rapport with the squad. His move to Wycombe represents a big step in his career, but it leaves a gap in Sunderland’s coaching team. Whether Le Bris opts for a direct replacement or reshuffles his existing staff will be an interesting decision in the coming weeks.
