Jordan Willis has already captained the Black Cats, leading them out in Saturday’s League One clash against MK Dons.
Jack Willis captained Sunderland for the first time on Saturday and, speaking to The Echo, manager Jack Ross has expressed his belief that the highly-rated centre-back can play at a much higher level.
The Black Cats certainly pulled off a coup when they brought Willis to the Stadium of Light on a free transfer this summer.
Willis had worn the captain’s armband at Coventry City and, according to Coventry Live, he was a target for Championship duo Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday before deciding to head up north instead.
The 25-year-old already looks like one of Sunderland’s most inspired signings for years (although there’s not much competition). And, just ten games into his career with the Wearside giants, Willis has already skippered the side, leading Sunderland out during the 2-1 win against MK Dons.
Clearly, Ross holds the towering defender in high regard and feels that if Sunderland go up this season then Willis will have no trouble adapting to life in a more testing league.
“He’s a really, really good lad and has embraced coming here,” said Ross, admitting that he very nearly made Willis captain on his home debut in August’s draw with Oxford United.
“He’s another one we speak about who we feel as if we could improve and ideally go up the levels with us.”
The fact that Willis snubbed Derby and Wednesday to sign for Sunderland suggests that he, unlike so many others who have passed through the Stadium of Light in recent years, obviously feels that promotion is a genuine possibility sooner rather than later.
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