Exclusive:Ex-Sunderland favourite makes bold Champions League and trophy claim after stunning season
Carlos Edwards believes Sunderland can target Champions League football and major honours under Régis Le Bris
Carlos Edwards believes Sunderland should be aiming to compete for honours and eventually target Champions League football if the club continues on its current trajectory under head coach Régis Le Bris.
The former Sunderland winger, who scored the famous late winner against Burnley that helped seal promotion to the Premier League under Roy Keane in 2007, has backed the Black Cats to keep pushing after a remarkable campaign under Le Bris.
Edwards made 56 appearances for Sunderland after joining from Luton Town in January 2007, scoring five goals. His most memorable moment came against Burnley, when his 80th-minute strike effectively confirmed Sunderland’s return to the top flight after Derby County failed to beat Crystal Palace the following day.
Now, after watching Sunderland establish themselves back in the Premier League and qualify for Europe, Edwards believes there is no reason for the club to limit its ambition. He feels the Black Cats should now be looking to compete for domestic cups, regular European qualification and, in time, the Champions League.
Asked how far Sunderland can go if they keep getting their recruitment right under Le Bris, Florent Ghisolfi and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, Edwards exclusively told The Echo: “We are looking at Europe on a season basis. Who is to say that we won’t? We’re going to be pushing for FA Cups. We're going to be pushing for Carabao Cups, Europa, Champions League. Why can't we?
“Our neighbours, they've done it. Yeah, they had good funding and whatever it is, so do we. We have good funding, and we've got better players than they are at the moment. So why can't we go? I mean, the sky's the limit at the end of the day. And if the players really want to achieve something and be successful and be one of the legends for the club, I mean, those boys should be legends.
“Obviously, we're in Europe. But regardless of what goes on, the guys in there should be proud. They should be absolutely proud. And the fans take full credit because they were, as they call it, the 12th man, woman or whatever you want to put it.
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“And I'm sure the players will go on the off-season and can't wait to get back. Well, I shouldn't say pre-season because I don't think any of them like pre-season. No one likes pre-season, no footballer does. Maybe the pre-season games, but the first three weeks, I don't think they were looking forward to that. But long may it continue.”
Sunderland’s season was remarkable by any measure. The Black Cats secured their first European qualification since 1973-74, capping a stunning return to the Premier League under Régis Le Bris. Their seventh-placed finish also represented only the club’s fifth top-flight top-10 finish in 70 years, underlining the scale of the achievement. From League One to Europe in just a few years, Sunderland’s rise has been extraordinary.