SUNDERLAND are continuing the search for a new coach to join Regis Le Bris' backroom team, with the boss emphasising the importance of making sure any newcomer is the right fit behind the scenes.

Le Bris says they are looking for coaches with "three or four specific qualities" but the most important element for the head coach is maintaining the right dynamic in his support team.

As has been the case since his arrival and the search for a new coach got underway, Le Bris stressed the importance of patience.

He said: "The process is ongoing, we are still working on it.

"It is like with signing players, we can find many, many assistants but we need to find the right one to help the staff and the club to grow again.

"We have many possibilities, because we can improve our staff with different things, experience from the Championship, maybe experience on set pieces, individual development... it's possible to exploit these different areas."

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When Le Bris was appointed, he initially said he was looking for a coach who could specialise in set-pieces. That, he says, isn't the only focus - and Sunderland will make sure they do their homework to make sure any new arrival is the right character to slot in seamlessly alongside the coaches currently in the dugout.

Le Bris said: "There are three or four specific qualities but it's not easy to find the right one.

"It's not just a specific attention on one subject, it's the human behind. They must understand the club, team, mentality and so on.

"If we want to recruit a striker, if he can be tall, strong, quick, technically very good and can combine with the others, that's all very good, but then we are searching for a player of Real Madrid. It's the same idea.

"We are searching for strengths that will be useful but we have other talented coaches in the building so want to build as strong a team as possible."

Le Bris also hailed the role of the coaches who were already in place when he arrived and who have supported the 48-year-old.

He said: "They're very important. The welcome was great, they are working hard and are talented.

"It's like our team on the pitch, that team behind the scenes is very important. It's not always about finding the most talented player or coach, it's about creating the best team and that team at the moment is very interesting."