adminSunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki has publicly backed under-fire head coach Régis Le Bris, insisting the Frenchman is “not the problem” and calling on the players to take responsibility for the club’s alarming slump.
The Black Cats’ season hit a new low on Thursday night as they were beaten 2-0 at home by Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League, a result that followed a dismal 3-1 Premier League defeat at Coventry City the previous weekend . Sunderland sit bottom of the top flight with just one win from their opening nine league matches, intensifying scrutiny on Le Bris despite the club’s hierarchy reportedly offering him temporary backing .
Speaking in the aftermath of the Zagreb defeat, Sadiki was unequivocal when asked whether the dressing room remained behind the manager.
“Of course. I don’t think the gaffer is the problem,” Sadiki said. “We are making the mistakes. He’s not making the mistakes. He’s putting in the players, and the players have enough quality. That’s why they’re all here. I don’t think the gaffer is a problem” .
The DR Congo international did not shy away from the squad’s culpability, admitting that the players owe a significant improvement to both Le Bris and the supporters who have watched their side slide into trouble.
“We owe it to him, and we owe it to ourselves as well. We owe it to the fans. We owe it to everybody who comes to support us every weekend and every European game,” he added. “We’re letting a lot of people down. We’re letting ourselves down as well sometimes. We need to step up in the next game” .
Sadiki’s comments came after a first half against Dinamo Zagreb in which Sunderland were booed off by the home support, with the visitors scoring both goals before the interval . The midfielder acknowledged that the fans’ frustration was entirely justified.
“It’s understandable. It’s understandable that they are not happy at the moment because we are not at 100% of our quality right now,” he said. “I won’t say many players. Everyone on the team is on another level right now. We need to step up” .
When pressed on what has gone wrong, Sadiki pointed to a lack of collective effort and cohesion rather than a loss of belief in the group’s ability.
“Things are not going our way. We are not putting in the effort that we need to. We need to get back on the same page. Pushing in the same direction, even though it’s difficult,” he explained. “It’s the same players as last season. I don’t think the quality is gone. I don’t think the morale is gone. I think it’s a difficult moment, like I’m saying. It’s a really difficult moment. There is a moment where we need to step up as a team. Everybody is on their own” .
Sadiki’s defence of Le Bris echoes similar sentiments from club captain Granit Xhaka, who also insisted after the Coventry defeat that the manager was not responsible for the current difficulties . The public show of unity from the dressing room comes at a critical juncture, with Sunderland facing a daunting fixture against Chelsea at the Stadium of Light on Sunday before the international break .
Le Bris, who guided Sunderland to promotion in 2024 and a surprise seventh-place finish and Europa League qualification last season, has acknowledged the severity of the situation. After the Coventry loss, he admitted his side were “obviously” in a relegation battle, though he maintained that the demanding schedule of European football had been anticipated .
For now, the message from the dressing room is clear: the players believe the manager is not the issue, and they are determined to prove it on the pitch. Whether that translates into results against Chelsea and beyond will determine how much longer Le Bris retains the backing of both his squad and the Sunderland hierarchy.
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