Chris Rigg Is Exactly Where He Needs To Be

Want an illustration of how quickly time seems to pass in football terms – or just graphic proof of how radically things have changed at Sunderland in recent years?

The photo below was taken just under three years ago, during a match in which a ridiculously young Chris Rigg was denied what would have been a fairytale FA Cup goal against Fulham at Craven Cottage and everyone started to sit up and take notice of the latest exciting talent to come off the Academy of Light production line.

In the three years since, a lot has changed at the Stadium of Light.

Advertisement

Tony Mowbray was temporarily replaced by Mike Dodds, Michael Beale was hired and replaced as head coach by Mike Dodds and then Régis Le Bris, and the whole process – often difficult and frustrating – eventually led to the promised land of promotion to the Premier League, with Rigg earning the right to call himself a top footballer after a red-and-white rise that encompassed memorable goals, eye-catching performances and plenty of excitement about what he could possibly do. achieve.

Of course, the dynamic is very different now and while the Sunderland team that Rigg made his first-team debut in was talented if somewhat unbalanced and lacking depth in key areas, the team he is currently struggling to establish himself in is of a much higher standard.

Under Le Bris, Sunderland are competitive in the Premier League and after a strong summer recruitment drive, Rigg is now surrounded by elite talent in more or less every position. As such, the former prodigy is entering the next stage of his development – ​​one in which we all hope his rate of progression continues.

I firmly believe that at this point and for the sake of his future prospects, Rigg is exactly where he needs to be.

Advertisement

It is true that he has often been played outside of his ‘natural’ position and although he always gives his all when deployed on the wing, it is obvious that his skills are best suited to the number ten position, although Enzo Le Fée is arguably our leader in that particular role. That’s not necessarily problematic in itself – this league demands a lot more quality and depth, after all – and for Rigg, it may just be a matter of patience, discipline and seeing the big picture.

Given that he appears to be a determined, driven and extremely motivated young footballer, one would hope that the presence of such talent within the Sunderland camp will inspire Rigg, motivate him and ensure he keeps his eyes on the goal of constant improvement.

In my opinion, one thing is absolutely certain: Rigg should not go out on loan this month and if we reach the end of the transfer window temporarily bidding farewell to this immense talent, it would harm his personal development and also deprive Sunderland of a valuable option; someone who could play an important role in the final months of the season.

Advertisement

Despite the impressive way in which we overhauled the squad over the summer, the long-standing argument that ‘He’s not ready for the Premier League’ rings increasingly hollow, as does the idea that we should send a gifted player to the Championship on the basis that he needs to ‘toughen up’. In fact, it’s not much different from what we heard when we were starry-eyed kids in the Russell Foster era: “This player or that player won’t make it because he’s too small,” and so on.

Such has been the explosion of talented teenagers in recent years that if you haven’t established yourself by the age of twenty or so, you’re considered behind the times, but that’s a red herring.

It is a universal truth that different players develop at different rates, and the idea of ​​a footballer of such quality being under-treated and forced to mix him with the likes of Millwall and Stoke City on the assumption that his development will thereby be accelerated is quite horrific.

Rigg currently trains and plays in an elite, high performance environment, with a coach and captain who set and enforce high standards having implemented a style of football that demands a lot from the team.

Advertisement

In my opinion, this is the perfect place for him and I have faith in Le Bris and his coaching staff to continue to do the right thing – and in Rigg himself to continue to apply himself correctly and make the most of every opportunity given to him.

As was the case in 2023, everything is limitless for Rigg and now that he finds himself amid the bright lights of the Premier League, why shouldn’t he continue on the same path? It’s all in his hands and I hope he does just that.