When a prodigiously talented young footballer finds themselves in the midst of a frenetic, competitive and demanding affair, I always feel it’s important to consider their body language as an indicator of how they’re handling the occasion and how — in the case of Sunderland’s own homegrown prodigy — they’re dealing with the step up from Championship football to the rapidly-paced and high intensity world of the Premier League.
Do they look composed and focused on the task at hand, or do nerves creep
into their performance, rendering them ineffective and raising concerns that they might not be fully ready for the top flight? Are they able to see things and make a pass that split second quicker, or are they caught cold and overwhelmed as the game passes them by?
Against Aston Villa last weekend, the decision to start Chris Rigg in the absence of Habib Diarra might’ve raised eyebrows before the game, but the red and white prospect and England U19 captain was looking more than comfortable before he was removed from the fray in the wake of Reinildo’s red card, playing some neat passes, showing good awareness and acquitting himself well against a crop of seasoned Premier League campaigners.
Fast forward six days and Rigg was once again in the spotlight as the Lads made the trip to the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest. New environment, new challenge, but the same expectations.
This time, his contribution amounted to just over an hour as we held our nerve for a morale-boosting victory over Ange Postecoglou’s side, and for me, the young midfielder — whilst not able to dictate proceedings or gain any prolonged superiority in the middle — didn’t look panicked or out of his depth in the slightest.
It’s perfectly fair to say that when the hosts occasionally turned up the intensity, Sunderland collectively looked a shade off the pace, but for all of his mercurial talent, Rigg’s unafraid of doing the hard yards and like Chemsdine Talbi (himself typically wholehearted against Forest) he could’ve justifiably felt a real sense of satisfaction at how things went.
Suffice it to say, this is the next stage of Rigg’s journey, a journey which will take him as far in the professional game as he chooses to go.
Two-and-a-half years ago, there was a sense of real excitement when Tony Mowbray gave him his Sunderland first team debut at the tender age of fifteen, and given that he’s reached the ‘veteran’ (by modern Wearside standards at least) stage of his career, he’s earned the right to call himself a Premier League footballer, and how he’s managed will be key.
Last season, Rigg was kept at the very heart of the first team, which was somewhat to his detriment — particularly when his season was interrupted by an injury suffered against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
That said, there was never any doubt about his quality and although I’ve felt for a while that 2025/2026 would represent a steep learning curve for him, I have full trust in Régis Le Bris and the Sunderland coaching team to ensure that he’s not overplayed and possibly burned out.
Diarra’s unfortunate absence has probably forced the club to speed up Rigg’s introduction to the first team, but he’s by no means our only option in that particular position and as such, we’ve got the breathing room to gradually build up his minutes and hopefully his influence. Mature beyond his years and blessed with a quiet confidence in his own ability, I have a feeling that he understands exactly what’s required of him and that he’s absolutely in the right environment at this stage of his career.
It’s also worth mentioning that, given the presence of the likes of Granit Xhaka, Rigg is surrounded by players from whom he can learn, potentially model elements of his game on and gain an understanding of how to conduct yourself at a top flight club. After all, if the presence of a serial winner and standard-setter like the Swiss midfielder wouldn’t inspire you as a young player, what would? None of this has happened by chance and it’s something that deserves to be highlighted.
Just over a week ago, perhaps there was a sharp intake of breath as the starting eleven for the clash with Villa was published and Rigg’s name was listed. However, he did a fine job on home turf and his first start in the Premier League away from home yielded far more good signs than bad.
He’s most definitely on his way and for everyone who’s followed his journey in recent years, it should be a real source of pride to see another academy product getting to grips with life at the elite level.
