Sunderland team captain Dan Neil reveals Chris Rigg's frustration against Oxford United in Championship
Sunderland’s team captain has detailed Chris Rigg’s frustration at being subbed and his message to the youngster
Sunderland team captain Dan Neil has detailed his message to teenage sensation Chris Rigg after the Oxford United game.
The Black Cats won the game 2-0 at the Stadium of Light in the Championship to extend their lead at the top of the table to five points after 12 games played. Neil, 22, started the game alongside midfield colleagues Jobe, 19, and 17-year-old Rigg.
Rigg has been in sensational form for Sunderland already this season and is the only player to have featured in all of the Black Cats’ league and cup games this season so far, with the wonderkid netting three goals in 12 Championship matches.
The England youth international was subbed for Alan Browne, with Sunderland leading Oxford at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. After the game, Sunderland’s team captain Neil was quick to congratulate Rigg on another good performance.
Asked what Neil had said to Rigg after the Luton game, Neil said: “I just went over and said, you were brilliant today, well done. He gets frustrated when he gets taken off sometimes because you always have to remind him you're 17 and you need to rest your legs.
“Riggy lives two minutes from us. He lives around the corner from us, so it's always nice to play in midfield with somebody who's so local to you. And it's nice to play in midfield with such a developing talent, and just see him each week getting better and better and better.
“Jobe and Riggy are still pretty new on the scene, and they've been absolutely brilliant. They've played so many minutes already this year for being 17 and 18 years old, and it's nice to have them in front of me. I'm getting old now. I need the legs in front of me.
“They've both been absolutely excellent but I think they've got really mature heads on their shoulders and they know that there's only 11, 12 games, whatever it is, and they want to do it for a full season and we want to be up there by the end of the season and that takes everybody. They've got really mature heads on their shoulders and they're not going to stop.”