REGIS LE BRIS is hoping to be able to spend time with Wayne Rooney after tomorrow’s game at Plymouth, and is a fan of the English tradition of a managerial meet-up after the final whistle.

While Le Bris was a largely unknown figure on these shores prior to taking over as Sunderland boss in the summer, the same is hardly true of Rooney, who was England’s all-time record goalscorer before being surpassed by Harry Kane.

The former England skipper was a hugely-successful figure on the pitch, but his managerial career has been more of a struggle with disappointing spells at Derby County, DC United and Birmingham City preceding his appointment as Plymouth boss in May.

He is yet to oversee his first league victory in charge of the Pilgrims, but his footballing pedigree means Le Bris is looking forward to pitting his wits against him tomorrow afternoon.

It is something of an English tradition for managers to meet up after the game, often over a glass of wine, and while the practice is perhaps beginning to die out, Le Bris is keen to embrace it.

“I like to do that,” said the Sunderland boss. “We have had one or two games this season where I have been able to do that, although not in the others. For me, it is a good tradition.”

READ MORE:

He is hoping to be able to spend time with Rooney, who remains one of the most high-profile figures in the English game.

“Wayne is well-known,” said Le Bris. “He is very famous as a player, and also as a coach as well. It’s always interesting to meet this kind of person. On the pitch, no managers play, so it will be the players that make the difference. But, for me, it is still very interesting to get to know this league and the people in it like Wayne Rooney.”

Dan Neil is available again tomorrow after missing the 3-1 win at Portsmouth that preceded the international break because of suspension, and the skipper is expected to go straight back into the starting line-up.