Gus Poyet: What I learned about Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Sunderland in Spain plus my advice for Régis Le Bris

There were a couple of things that caught Gus Poyet's eye during his time with Sunderland in Spain, one that surprised him and one that didn't.

To see so many red-and-white shirts packing out the Pinatar Arena was striking even to someone well aware of the loyalty of the club's fanbase, and so too was his experience of seeing the ownership at work. Poyet was present for a brief time during the pre-season camp as a guest of fellow Uruguayan Juan Sartori, taking in the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest and spending some time at the teams base. It was his first time around majority shareholder and chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, and what he saw was a first for him even taking into account his long career in the game.

"The fans impressed me, again - you're playing in the middle of nowhere in Spain and you have over 2,000 fans," Poyet told The Echo.

"I'm not surprised because I know how much it means to them, but it was amazing. I had a good time with Juan Sartori and then with Mr Dreyfus, we've spoken on the phone a few times but we've never met in person before now. I met the coach, who is a great guy. They are working, I can tell you that. Non-stop. There was not one minute when people weren't coming and going, coming back. Kristjaan coming in to speak with them because he is on the phone with someone... they are working non-stop. One thing I found very, very interesting and people will make their own opinion, I don't ever remember the owner staying with the team all time in pre-season. I think it's interesting, he [Kyril] is there, he's present, he's supporting, he's working and helping [with transfers]. It was different, I remember Tony Bloom popping up but never staying with the team. Ellis Short never stayed with us. I thought it was really interesting and if it's good for the coach and the team, very well."

While their introduction was relatively brief, Poyet did have one bit of advice for Régis Le Bris as he takes what is a major next step in his career on Wearside.

"About football, I had no advice, because I respect everyone is different - I would never do that," Poyet says.

"The only thing I said to him when we spoke a few hours after the game to get a membership with the LMA [League Manager's Association] because for me it is the best in the world by far. It's always good for a foreign coach in a new country to have that support, you can get in contact with other managers and have that support in any capacity. In any capacity, because anytime you talk about that people say, 'oh you mean in case he get's sacked'. No, no that's not the point. It's just good to have that support, so I learned while I was out there that he hasn't brought staff with him. He's has come from France into a new country, different language, though his English is excellent - living on his own with no staff [at the moment]... it's not easy. Now in summer maybe [it's OK] but when it gets to November... I think having an extra little bit of support in any kind of situation is always good."

A big season lies ahead for Sunderland, who are eager to draw a line under their 16th-place finish last time out and return to the kind of form that inspired their unlikely play-off push in their first campaign back at the level. Poyet believes the club can do that but says the most important thing is to stay in contention for the top six going into the final months of the campaign.

"I think the sixth position under Tony Mowbray was a surprise, I didn't expect them to do that well," Poyet says, speaking on behalf of freebets.com

"I thought they would be comfortable in midtable, but they got in a way of understanding what Tony wanted and the players were playing at the best of their ability, so they could make a very big season. Last season, with all the changes, managers leaving and everything that went on it was difficult to maintain that.

"I always say that for me, there are two ways to be successful in football," he adds.

"One is the easy way, money. Best players, best manager - eventually you win. The other one is a process. When you don't have endless money, it's about a process and a methodology and with the manager, no big change from one to another and that is the work of the whole club for everyone to be in the same way. But in 2024 and how football is working, that is difficult because there is so much change in the middle. I would say that for me, if I was a Sunderland fan, I would say always be in the top ten. Then you never know, a good run of games and anything can be happen. But the main thing is to be there, all the time. Don't get too low because then you get the nerves and the problems with the coach, and sometimes too high and you can lose players in January and have to start again. There is a middle place is where you are there, and then anything can happen. The key is the connection between the coach and the players, and that understanding between them."