Sunderland manager Jack Ross has revealed that he gave Jordan Willis the captain's armband for their 2-1 win over MK Dons on Saturday, as he now feels he has settled in well enough at the club.

Club captain Grant Leadbitter and vice-captain Aiden McGeady were both absent from the starting XI for the win, for the first time since the Black Cats' home draw with Oxford on the opening day of the season, when goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin wore the armband on Willis' debut for the club.

Explaining his reasoning behind handing Willis the armband on Saturday, but not on his debut, Ross told The Chronicle: "The previous time in the league that neither Aiden nor Grant were in the side, I think it was against Oxford.

"Jon captained the team, and while I've got nothing against goalkeepers [as captains] it's probably not my preferred choice.

"We thought long and hard about giving the captaincy to Jordan against Oxford but it was his home debut, and that's a challenge as it is.

"Now, he's been at the club a few months, he's got to know us as staff, he knows he can handle it."

Having joined Sunderland from League One rivals Coventry City during the summer transfer window, Willis has started all ten of the Black Cats' league games this season, scoring his first goal for the in a 2-1 win over Portsmouth in August.

It seems as though Ross has clearly been impressed with the 25-year-old's performances so far, as the Sunderland boss continued: "He's a really, really good lad and has embraced coming here.

"He's another one we speak about who we feel as if we could improve and ideally go up the levels with us."

Sunderland are currently fifth in League One, after taking five wins and four draws from their opening ten games of the league season.

The Verdict

I think this is a good approach for Ross to take.

Giving Willis the armband on his debut would have been something of a risk you feel, given he is already under pressure to make a good first impression for his new club, and he may not be fully familiar with their style of play.

Now, however, Willis has clearly made himself an integral part of the Black Cats' defence in what is a relatively short space of time, so I can understand why Ross was comfortable giving him the armband on Saturday.

I also find myself agreeing with his reticence about handing the armband to a goalkeeper, given they are somewhat detached from the rest of the play, arguably making it harder for them to have much of an influence on the game.

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