Exclusive:'World at his feet' - Kevin Phillips lavishes praise on Sunderland starlet Chris Rigg after derby masterclass
Sunderland talent Chris Rigg has garnered praise for his performances in recent weeks.
Sunderland hero Kevin Phillips has claimed that Black Cats starlet Chris Rigg has the “world at his feet” after his influential showing in last weekend’s Tyne-Wear derby triumph over Newcastle United.
The teenager started on the right wing at St. James’ Park, and put in an assured performance that heavily belied his relative inexperience - especially in the Premier League.
At the time of writing, Rigg has just 13 top flight appearances to his name, and had endured a relatively low key campaign prior to his recent inclusion in Regis Le Bris’ starting XI for the 1-0 defeat against Brighton and Hove Albion. But speaking exclusively to The Echo, courtesy of BestBettingSites, Phillips has backed the midfielder for a big career at the highest level - as well as a potential England nod in the relatively near future if he continues on his current trajectory.
He said: “Let’s not forget he’s still a kid. What is he, 18 now? I did a piece with him at the training ground last week. When you talk to him, he’s a kid. He’s one of those players; he came into the team very, very early. It was well documented in the press and the media.
“This kid has got everything. He’s got the world at his feet. It’s natural that you’re going to hit a little bit of a slump. But again, credit to him for coming out the other side and putting in the performances that he has done. On the pitch against Brighton... He was fantastic at the weekend against Newcastle. So he’s a good player, a very good player.”
Addressing criticism of Rigg for his diminished role in recent months, Phillips continued: “Very harsh. But does it surprise me with the media? No, not at all. It shows you all about the player when he brushes it to one side and puts the performance in. So, if he continues to play the way he is and does it again next season, I’m pretty certain he will get an England call-up for sure.”
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What has Regis Le Bris said about Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg?
For his part, Sunderland boss Le Bris has opened up on the changes that Rigg has made behind the scenes to rediscover his rhythm of late, as well as reiterating the patience that the Black Cats need to show with their bright young talents as they adapt to the rigours of the Premier League.
He explained: "You need to earn the credit on the pitch. It's not about speaking, it's on the pitch. Riggy came from this period when he struggled and he wasn't so composed on the ball, so when you give the ball to a teammate and they turn the ball over quickly, sometimes you won't receive a pass for 30 minutes because you feel intuitively that you won't give the ball to his teammates.
"Now it's totally the opposite and he built this during the training sessions with his attitude and resilience and character. It just shows players need time and it's a really good example of our identity."