Months of speculation over who the next Black Cats manager dominated the conversation around the Stadium of Light before he was appointed, with the time spent painstakingly trying to find a new boss ultimately paying off, as Le Bris has steered his new team to a win in every Championship game they’ve faced so far.
Whilst players such as Dennis Cirkin have shone under the new early regime, other players have seen their standing in the pecking order fall, with Leo Hjelde a permanent fixture on the substitute’s bench from the four league games to date.
Hjelde’s time at Sunderland
Still only 21 years of age, Hjelde wandered through the door at Sunderland in January as a promising new recruit to help the Black Cats out defensively.
Comfortable playing at either left-back or in the heart of defence, Sunderland must have thought they’d purchased a gem considering he had made the odd Leeds United first-team appearance here or there when he was in West Yorkshire.
The Norwegian defender registered eight senior appearances for the Whites before leaving for a new adventure with Sunderland, with the hype surrounding him during his time at Elland Road not exactly helping him in his mission to become a top star.
Outlandish labels such as “the next Van Dijk” handed to him from former Ross County manager John Hughes followed him down to England from his positive time in Scotland, after impressing on loan away from one of Van Dijk’s old employers in Celtic.
