00:00With such a young squad in the Championship, Sunderland perhaps defied the odds in securing their promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs at the end of last season.
00:10Certainly, Regis Labrice is now adored on wheelside for finally getting the Black Cats back into the Premier League for the first time since 2017.
00:19But with such a young side, when did he know that they were capable of getting back into England's top flight?
00:25Well, after the playoff final, he made that very clear.
00:30It was impossible to predict the outcome already, but I think we spoke together about the feeling I had about this team last season.
00:43They played well, they played fantastic football sometimes, for example against Southampton, they won 5-0, so it was clear that it was possible to play a very good football and to be efficient, very dominant.
00:55But at the same time, they were so inconsistent, so with ups, but many downs.
01:01So my job was, and I think it's the job of a coaching staff, a manager, to give the methodology to bring this consistency.
01:11And it worked well, but we need talented players, we need strong connection between them, and I think they deserve this statement.
01:22They worked so well together.
01:25And at the end, I think this game is a good example of the season.
01:34Keeping the core of such a talented young group together will be key for Regis Labrice this summer, as Sunderland prepare for the Premier League.
01:42However, they have been dealt blows in that Tommy Watson and Joe Bellingham have moved elsewhere.
01:47At least, we need to remember that the connection between players is often more important than the talent of one player.
01:59And for me, as a manager, I think in football in general, sometimes we forget that it's a collective sport, a collective effort.
02:15And we tend to focus on one talent who made the difference, but it's not the main point.
02:23The main point is the way we work together.
02:25And this squad was really impressive this season, about their connection, even when it was tough.
02:32They stayed connected, they want to learn from mistakes and so on.
02:36So, yeah, it was a strong feeling this season.
02:40As well as the upcoming season being the first Premier League experience for much of the Sunderland squad,
02:45it will also be the first taste of the English top flight for Regis Labrice himself, something which he is aware of.
02:52It's difficult to realise, to be fair, because I was so connected on the just moment, right now, what we have to do to win this game.
03:02And I didn't think about the consequences, a defeat, a win.
03:08So now will be the case, maybe in a few days, we'll see.
03:11But let's enjoy, let's celebrate, let's take time with family and friends and we'll see a bit later.
03:17Let's go now to Phil Smith of the Sunderland Echo.
03:20Phil, with so many unknowns for Sunderland and going back into the top flight, is there excitement or nerves?
03:27Yeah, well, I think first and foremost, I think there's excitement rather than trepidation.
03:32I think it's the overriding emotion because of where Sunderland have been in the last few years
03:35and because of the time and effort that's gone to sort of dragging them back to this point.
03:40I don't think that maybe some of the teams who've been recently relegated, had difficult Premier League experience
03:45and are jumping back up, might have a few more scars.
03:48You know, at this stage, Sunderland don't have that.
03:50So I think there's a lot of excitement.
03:52You know, I think especially Chelsea at the stadium light is a very evocative fixture for Sunderland fans.
03:56They all remember Jermaine Defoe's goal, which obviously set up that incredible survival against Everton a few days later.
04:02So there'll definitely be some warm memories from that.
04:04I mean, the end of the season is always an impossible one to predict, isn't it?
04:07Because sometimes you can face a team who on paper look terrifying, but they've got nothing much to play for
04:12and they become a softer opponent.
04:14And sometimes you have a fixture that looks kind, but it's all on the line for your opponent
04:18and suddenly they become very difficult.
04:19So I think certainly the further into the season you look, it becomes harder and harder to predict
04:25what those games are going to look like because you just don't know what situation clubs are going to be at that point.
04:30But I think more broadly, I think at the moment, it's just excitement.
04:34And whether that becomes a bit of trepidation when the actual fixtures come round, I guess we'll wait and see.
04:38But I think at the moment, everyone's just still basking in the glow of promotion
04:42and sort of looking forward to giving this a good go.
