'Excited' - Sunderland man's verdict on Régis Le Bris ahead of Cardiff City opener in Championship

Sunderland striker Eliezer Mayenda is enjoying life under new head coach Régis Le Bris.

The frontman started up top against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on Saturday as Sunderland won after Jack Clarke’s goal. The Black Cats have beaten the Tangerines, South Shields and CD Eldense this summer alongside a loss to Gateshead and a draw against Nottingham Forest.

Sunderland are set to face Bradford City on Tuesday at Valley Parade with another trip to the same ground to play Olympique Marseille before the opening Championship game of the season away to Cardiff City on August 10.

“We played very well [against Blackpool] and we’re playing Tuesday against Bradford and then Saturday against Marseille,” Mayenda reflected on pre-season under Le Bris so far. It’s good for me to get the first 90 minutes this pre-season, so I felt it more during the game. We just need to keep working and we’ll be ready for the first game of the season.”

After arriving at the club last summer, Mayenda has led the line in three pre-season games so far under Régis Le Bris after spending six months on loan at Hibernian in Scotland last campaign.

“I’m very excited to start the season and I feel we are nearly ready for the first game [against Cardiff]. The gaffer just says we need to keep working and find a good creation, good pressures, find the triangles between each other, and he just tells us to be more confident ahead of the first game, that’s the most important thing,” Mayenda concluded.