REGIS Le Bris says Dan Neil should be proud of the “huge” impact he had at Sunderland and wished the midfielder well after his exit for Ipswich Town earlier this week.
Le Bris says Neil departed with enormous respect from everyone at Sunderland and with “good memories” of his long association with the club he’s supported since he was a boy.
Neil’s 18-year association with the Black Cats came to an end this week when he joined Ipswich Town on loan until the end of the season, a move which will take the midfielder to the end of his contract with Sunderland.
Le Bris says he’d have been happy for Neil to see out the season and his contract on Wearside, but revealed it was the midfielder’s wish to move in January so he could start playing regularly again.
Having captained Sunderland to promotion last season, Neil lost the armband and his place in the side in the summer after the arrival of Granit Xhaka, Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki.
Neil played just 13 minutes of Premier League football for Sunderland this season, which led the 24-year-old to this month’s move.
Le Bris said: “If Dan would have stayed with us until the end, for me, it was completely comfortable. It wasn’t a problem.
“It was his decision now. Do I need to leave? Do I think that I need game time now, rather than staying on the bench with maybe some opportunities but not sure? He decided that it was better to leave, to play, to be involved in the core of the group.
“It wasn’t the case with us, and we need to respect his decision.”
Neil won two promotions with Sunderland and starred last term, so was it difficult to drop the captain and a player who has done so much for the club in recent campaigns?
“As a manager, you have to do your job,” said Le Bris.
“So it’s not difficult if the conversation is still open. Direct, clean, respectful, and that was the case with Dan.
“It was tough because you say you won’t be the captain, it will be Granit. He knows that the level is the level, and he fought until the end.
“His contract situation was the contract situation. It wasn’t solved one year before, and when you come into the final year of your contract, with this level of competition, you know that something will happen.
“So it was already… not the end of the story, but the direction [was set], I would say. And after that, the transfer window is the end.”
Reflecting on Neil’s time at Sunderland, Le Bris said: “Huge player. For the club, for me as manager as well and the connection we had last season was perfect.
“The way we worked together, the way he managed the team as captain. He was a key factor to manage the togetherness with Luke [O’Nien]. I think he is now in a new part of his professional life. You have to leave at times but with respect and good memories.
“We were at West Ham and the decision was made. We had texts one way and the other way. It’s more about the pathway we had together. There’s a lot of respect, he did a good job, now it’s a new part of his life.”
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