Régis Le Bris hails key change in Chris Rigg at Sunderland | OneFootball

Régis Le Bris has praised Chris Rigg’s work away from the spotlight after the teenager forced his way back into Sunderland’s starting XI.

According to Sunderland Echo, Rigg’s league minutes were sparse early in the Premier League campaign, with no appearance between the 3-0 loss to Brentford on 7 January and the 1-0 win against Leeds on 3 March. He then impressed in the 1-0 defeat to Brighton at the Stadium of Light, setting up a standout display in the 2-1 win over Newcastle United a week later.

Senior teammates showed clear trust in him against Brighton, keeping close communication and giving him the ball in tight areas. Le Bris said that reflected Rigg’s application during a tough spell and underlined the need for patience with a youthful squad. He pointed to the significance of a player such as Granit wanting to play with him as a sign of maturity.

He added that credit must be earned on the pitch, noting Rigg had previously lacked some composure, which can lead teammates to stop passing to you. The dynamic is now the opposite, built through training, resilience and character, which he said exemplifies Sunderland’s identity and the time young players need.

Rigg said time out of the side had helped him, giving him opportunities to work on his game. He believes he has improved and now wants to maintain consistency.

Rigg is on international duty with England’s U19s and came on in the second half of a 2-0 defeat to Serbia earlier in the week, leaving them with an uphill task to finish top of the group and reach this summer’s European Championships. They face Spain on Saturday at 11am before Croatia on Tuesday at 1.45pm.

Source: Sunderland Echo