Chris Rigg is gaining valuable Premier League experience while Sunderland have a number of players absent due to AFCON

Régis Le Bris has explained his decision to use Chris Rigg as a right winger during AFCON, saying it is vital to the balance of his current side.

Rigg has played most of his football for the club in central midfield, but the absence of Bertrand Traore and Chemsdine Talbi due to international commitments has opened up an opportunity for the youngster to gain more valuable Premier League experience. While there has been some surprise that Le Bris has opted not to start with two more natural wingers in Simon Adingra and Romaine Mundle, the head coach has cited Rigg’s defensive contributions and his desire to build confidence in those two wide players by playing them in their favoured role.

Le Bris explained: “Yeah, because first of all, probably Simon and Romaine are better on the left side and the question of confidence is really important, because you can play but if you don't find the best references to play on the pitch at this level in the Premier League, I think it's tough. So in my mind, we had this idea, can we play with those players in their best positions? So it was the case and for Simon it was positive against Leeds for example.

“And it will be the case as well for Romaine, I'm sure, I'm confident for him. For Rigg, he is one of these versatile players and I think he has the ability to defend of the right properly because he's really committed, intense, well-connected defensively with the triangle and then he can roll inside as a ten, as a midfielder and we can use his left foot to roll inside and to explore the opposite side. And often we use Trai or Nordi as a wide player.

“So the role is a bit different on his side. It's more a winger out of possession but more a midfielder in possession and for the opposite side it's a wide player.”

It also means that Le Bris has a potentially game changing wide player to deploy from the bench at a time when his squad is stretched.

“Yeah, absolutely [this is part of the idea],” Le Bris said.

“Often for the offensive players it's tough to maintain a strong level of the full game and a tough period like we have. So I like using them maybe 60-65 minutes and the other, the finisher, will finish the game.”

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Régis Le Bris discusses Chris Rigg’s progress at Sunderland

Still just 18, time is firmly on Rigg’s side as he looks to establish himself in the side and Le Bris says this period will be valuable for his future career.

“He's a really young player,” Le Bris said.

“Last season he played almost the full season in the Championship and we know how tough this league is. This season it's a new level, the gap is big but he's always committed, so probably the first part of his career was really positive without many obstacles. Now it's normal to face a new one and the Premier League is the best league in the world. So you can struggle a bit but you need, I think, to struggle to get better. Otherwise if everything is easy you can't learn and at the minute he's in this position.”

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