James Copley’s Sunderland notebook: Granit Xhaka’s aura, intense Le Bris-Danso talks and drones over training
James Copley reflects on 20 minutes with Granit Xhaka and the details that caught his eye at Sunderland’s European training session
First, apologies that there hasn’t been one of these for a little while. The routine of game, press conference, game has rather taken over my life, and Phil’s, these past couple of weeks. It has felt unrelenting at times, although we’ll probably spend the international break complaining that we’re bored. You wouldn’t want to miss any of this.
Today brought the opportunity to speak to Régis Le Bris and Granit Xhaka ahead of Sunderland’s first European fixture in 53 years. We also watched some first-team training, which offered a fascinating glimpse of the work going into Wednesday’s meeting with AZ Alkmaar. There was plenty to take away, but one man made a particularly strong impression.
Granit Xhaka has the presence of a future manager
Most of this notebook is going to centre on Xhaka. That isn’t because Le Bris was anything less than impressive. He absolutely was. But we speak to Sunderland’s head coach once, sometimes twice a week, whereas opportunities to sit in a press conference with his captain are much rarer for those of us in the local media.
Xhaka does plenty of national media, so we are all familiar with how he speaks. Even so, being in the room with him was striking. I was blown away by his presence, his confidence and how carefully he considered his words. He has that quality where you find yourself listening closely to everything he says.
There is nothing hesitant about him, but he doesn’t strike me as somebody who talks simply to fill the room. He seems to know precisely what he wants to get across. You can understand why players would look to him when a game becomes difficult, or why younger members of the squad would pay attention when he speaks.
To me, he looks like a manager in waiting. I would be very surprised if he didn’t have a role in football after he finishes playing. You could imagine him in a sporting director’s position, but coaching feels the most natural fit. There is an authority about him that would translate very easily to the touchline.
You almost want to run through a brick wall for him after 20 minutes at a press conference. Imagine spending every day alongside him. We have written so much about his leadership that finding a fresh way to explain it is becoming difficult, but today made the benefit to Sunderland’s squad feel particularly clear.
Xhaka wants to win the Europa League with Sunderland
The other thing that stayed with me was the scale of his ambition. Xhaka spoke about losing two Europa League finals and wanting to win the competition with Sunderland. While so many of us are still getting our heads around the club being back in Europe, its captain is thinking about how far they can go.
Whether you believe Sunderland can win it is almost beside the point when assessing what that tells us about him. He is approaching the competition with the intention of winning it. His own disappointments in those finals appear to have given him another reason to want the trophy, and he sees no reason to abandon that ambition here.
To be fair, how many people thought Sunderland would finish in the European places last season? They managed it. That doesn’t mean we should suddenly expect a trophy, but it does explain why having somebody like Xhaka matters. He can help a squad approach an unfamiliar occasion with genuine belief in what it might achieve.
Supporters are entitled to savour the occasion and everything it represents. I certainly will. It is also reassuring to know that the man leading the team onto the pitch will be concentrating on winning the football match. The history matters, but you get the impression Xhaka will have little interest in a memorable evening that ends in defeat.
Régis Le Bris is Sunderland’s professor
You are probably tired of reading about how calm Le Bris is, but it was impossible to miss again today. On the eve of a fixture carrying so much emotion for Sunderland, he remained measured and thoughtful. That must help the players, particularly those experiencing this type of occasion for the first time.
He and Xhaka lead in different ways, which is part of why the combination works so well. Xhaka has that forceful presence; Le Bris is quieter and more understated. Put Florent Ghisolfi alongside them and Sunderland have three contrasting personalities in important positions. They don’t need to behave alike to share an understanding of what they want.
Le Bris is the professor of the group. He watches closely, considers the details and seems to enjoy working through a football problem. I mean this affectionately, but there is a bit of a football nerd in him. You could see that the challenge of facing European opposition interested him as much as the significance of the occasion.
AZ will give him plenty to consider. Their season began with a 4-0 victory over PSV in the Johan Cruyff Shield, the Dutch equivalent of the Community Shield and they are unbeaten in the league. Le Bris looked excited by the challenge, even if his way of expressing that excitement is rather more restrained than most of ours.
Kevin Danso discussion catches the eye at training
Watching part of first-team training was a real buzz, too. There were two drones filming overhead and at least four coaches putting the players through their work. The amount of technology and staff involved was striking. Even during a brief visit, you could appreciate the detail that goes into preparing a Premier League team.
Before training, Le Bris was deep in conversation with Kevin Danso. I couldn’t hear what was being said, so I won’t pretend to know the subject, but it looked like a detailed tactical discussion. Le Bris was clearly trying to get something across, and Danso appeared completely absorbed in what his head coach was explaining.
It was a small moment, but an interesting one after listening to Le Bris in the press conference. You hear him discuss his ideas with us, then see him working through something with a player a little later. The professor description came to mind again. He looked thoroughly engaged in the business of helping somebody understand exactly what he wanted.
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My other main takeaway was rather less technical: Juan Riquelme Angulo is absolutely massive. Seeing him alongside the group brings home his physical presence, but his touch caught my eye as well. A lovely touch for a big man, as the old football saying goes. A glimpse of training is only that, but I left wanting to see more of him.