Breaking into Sunderland’s first team is the ultimate goal for Neil
Dan Neil says his sole aim at present is to break into the Sunderland first-team – after an encouraging start to pre-season
The midfielder netted his first senior goal for the Black Cats in the 1-1 draw at York City and has started all three of the club’s pre-season games thus far.
His performances have certainly given head coach Lee Johnson plenty to think about, with the Sunderland boss admitting that he has a big decision to make over Neil in the coming weeks.
But while under-23 football and loan deals could be touted as potential options for his development from those outside the club, the 19-year-old is fixing his focus on cementing his place in the first-team.
"At the minute a loan isn't on my mind,” he said.
"I can think about that more when it comes to the end of August, at the moment there's a lot of games where I've got the chance to stamp my authority and give the gaffer a message that I want to be in this team.
"Until I'm told that isn't going to happen, then a loan might happen - but for now i'm fully focused on Sunderland.”
This isn’t the first preseason in which Neil has impressed, of course.
He was arguably the standout performer last summer under Phil Parkinson, but more experienced options
were preferred when the League One season began.
But rather than be deterred by that experience, Neil is keen to use it in the right way.
“Last season I thought I had a very good pre-season, but I was still a very young lad compared to all the experienced heads we had,” admitted the midfielder.
"I think last year was just
about being full-time with the senior team for the first time, really getting to know about how they go about things on and off the pitch, learning the game from the stands.
"Obviously I played here and there, but this year coming into pre-season it was about trying to stamp my authority and show that I have learned from last season and get in this team.”
And key to getting in the team this season has been meeting the pre-season challenge set by Johnson – who wanted to see Neil improve his physical stature.
“The gaffer said that I needed to improve a bit of size and my first few yards,” he explained.
"It wasn't so much the technical side of my game, he said that I can deal with that,
it's more the physical - dealing with pressure, the first few yards away from my man.
"I've worked on that over the summer and I think that's putmeinabetterplacetopush and break into this team.”
The early signs on that front are certainly positive, with Neil looking more than ready to compete in the firstteam.
And that includes on the mental front, where Neil – a boyhood Sunderland fan – knows exactly what an expectantfanbasearelookingfor,and is keen to hit those demands.
“I was once in that crowd as well,” he said.
"I was just as demanding as the crowd out there when I was younger. It's a challenge that I'm looking forward to and hopefully it comes sooner rather than later.”