Sunderland Head Coach Régis Le Bris has giving his backing to officials in the Championship despite confusion and controversy surrounding the disallowing of a Black Cats goal against Derby on Tuesday. Daniel Wales reports.
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00:00Sunderland's win against Derby on Tuesday could have been more comfortable than it was
00:06if Wilson Isidore's second-half goal had been allowed to stand, as it appeared it would
00:11immediately following the ball hitting the net.
00:13The fact that it was then ruled out for offside raised questions as to how that decision had
00:18come to be.
00:20VAR is not in use in the Championship as it is in the Premier League, although Regis Laprice
00:25does have experience of technology being used during his time in France.
00:29The disallowing of the goal did not ultimately cost Sunderland, but it would have improved
00:33their goal difference, which theoretically could make a difference.
00:39In response to this, Laprice made clear his views on VAR, given his own personal experience
00:44with it in France.
00:47It's not obvious.
00:50Sometimes it helps very clearly.
00:54Sometimes the rhythm of the game is disrupted by that.
01:04For me, we have to trust the referees.
01:08We have to trust their decision.
01:09If they make some mistakes, they have to assume that they make some mistakes and we can learn
01:15from mistakes.
01:16It's the case for us.
01:17It could be the case for them.
01:21So it's difficult to give a very precise and definitive answer to that question.
01:30I had the VAR the last two seasons and sometimes it was positive and sometimes it was not.
01:37This year I like the rhythm of the game because if you score, you score.
01:41It wasn't the case just once.
01:46But so, yeah, both are positive or negative.
01:51Away from the controversy and confusion, Sunderland next face struggling Plymouth, and know that
01:55Argyle will likely sit deep, meaning that Sunderland will have to be patient during
02:00the encounter.
02:01Yeah, it's still difficult to anticipate the scenario of the game because one decision
02:07can make the difference and can change the momentum.
02:12At least what we can control is the way we want to play and we can expect a scenario,
02:17can expect a shake maybe, not sure.
02:23And if we are very focused on our game, I think we will, we can win and we give us many
02:33situations to score and to win.
02:36And it's my only focus right now.
02:38And with so much on the line this season, just how is Regis Lebris preparing for the
02:42games to come?
02:44Just next step, next step, next step because we don't have energy to waste, to expect something
02:51from the opponent.
02:52And in two weeks, in three weeks, in four weeks, what will happen is so unpredictable.
02:56So our main focus is just the next game, yeah.