Dan Neil lauds ‘brilliant’ Luke O’Nien for what he’s done for him at Sunderland
Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil has praised teammate Luke O’Nien for his involvement in the transition of becoming team captain.
Regis Le Bris decided at the start of the season that Neil would be the new team captain, taking over from O’Nien who has since become club captain.
Neil does a lot of the organising on the pitch while O’Nien plays an even bigger role off of it and the midfielder has praised his teammate for aiding him.
Speaking with the Sunderland Echo, Neil said: “Luke O’Nien has been brilliant with me, especially off the pitch.
“I think on the pitch in terms of being vocal and organising and the tactical side of things, I feel like that’s one of my strengths anyway but off the pitch stuff, I’m just going to grow into that role and I need people to help us along with that.
“So the coaching staff and Luke and the experienced boys, they’re not just leaving everything up to me because I’m wearing the armband. We’ve got a really good leadership group within the squad and everyone’s doing their bit.”
Luke O’Nien is a crucial figure for Sunderland
Neil isn’t the only Wearsider to have praised O’Nien so far this season, many have. Supporters included.
O’Nien has been a standout performer for Sunderland but his contributions off the pitch have been just as important as the ones of it.
At 29 years old, he is one of the most experienced players in the Black Cats dressing room and that experience shows on a consistent basis.
Throughout his time at Sunderland, questions have been asked as to what his best position is and whether he is equipped to be a Championship centre half. The answer to that is a resounding yes and he’s arguably the first name on the teamsheet because of everything he offers.
If Le Bris’ side are to carry on their quest for promotion, having players like O’Nien around the club is pivotal. It is easy for players, especially young players to get carried away with the form the Black Cats have demonstrated but he will play a big role in keeping his teammates grounded.
In other Sunderland news, Simon Moore has spoken about the atmosphere at Sunderland following their table-topping start to the Championship season.
For more Sunderland news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.