Sunderland name two top academy youngsters in squad to face Blackpool

Teenage duo to get experience with first team squad in New Year's Day fixture.

Sunderland have included teenagers Chris Rigg and Tom Watson in their squad for the New Year’s Day clash with Blackpool.

Rigg, 15, and Watson, 16, are two of the most coveted youngsters in the country having featured regularly for England at youth level.

The talent of Rigg has been widely reported, with Newcastle, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all keen to prise the central midfielder away from Sunderland before he can sign a professional contract.

Chris Rigg (15) & Tom Watson (16) on the right taking in the surroundings.

Expecting Rigg to be named on the bench today - England youth international with loads of PL interest. #SAFC believe there’s a genuine pathway to the team here if he stays pic.twitter.com/QsjiOfvFAk

— Phil Smith (@Phil__Smith) January 1, 2023

Watson, meanwhile, is a right-footed left-winger who has made a bit of a name for himself for scoring goals.

While it’s clear neither will play at Bloomfield Road, the move is designed to involve the academy’s top youngsters with the first team in the hope it will demonstrate that Sunderland can offer the best path into first team football.

It is the same system that Kristjaan Speakman and Mike Dodds used at Birmingham, and it allowed them to keep Jude Bellingham out of the clutches of the country’s top clubs until he was at least able to command a big fee. Whether it works at Sunderland too, of course, is another matter entirely. We all know the richest clubs have the power. 

Rigg, for example, has already featured regularly for the under-21s, and coach Graeme Murty gave some insight into the club’s plans to help him develop – which they hope will persuade him to see his future on Wearside.

---

Video of Tom Watson scoring at youth level

---

“It’s really interesting because there are parallels between him and Billy Gilmour who I saw close at hand at Rangers, because of the young age and interest in the player." Murty said of Rigg.

“We have to make sure that first and foremost the messages are consistent for him so there is no confusion for him. We have to make sure that we individualise his programme because he’ll be on a different programme to his peers of a same age.

“We have to make sure that we get an appropriate level of challenge and support and we’re making sure as a club, not just me, but lots and lots of staff around him that he’s getting what he needs. He’s in a really good place and is getting good minutes in the 21s.

---

Chris Rigg highlights

---

“We have to make sure that if he has any questions we are open and we’re transparent with him as to his development going forward. I think if you do that with a player I don’t think they can have any negative thoughts towards the programme we’re providing.

“He’s getting exposure to some new concepts, new learning and a new level of football which is all good to him.”

---

Read more Sunderland coverage

• Stoke boss Alex Neil keen to sign key Sunderland midfielder
• Man Utd 'really happy' with Amad Diallo Sunderland loan
• Best and biggest Sunderland moments of a brilliant 2022
• How might Sunderland replace Ellis Simms after his Everton recall?
• 'He's Sunderland through and through and we feed off that...'
• WATCH: Fantastic moment Trai Hume wipes out James McClean to roars from Sunderland fans