Sunderland young star Dan Neil is aiming for an even better 2022 after bursting on to the scene at the Stadium of Light. Neil has been in and around the Black Cats' squad for several seasons now, but after impressing in pre-season, became an integral part of the side in the first half of the campaign.
However, the 20-year-old has found first-team opportunities rather more difficult to come back in recent weeks under new boss Alex Neil. But far from being a setback, the midfielder is using the opportunity to recharge his batteries and aim for even better things in the coming months.
And with plenty of games still to come before the end of the season - with potential play-offs to consider too - he is hopeful to play a key part in Sunderland's promotion push
READ MORE: Alex Neil's verdict on Nathan Broadhead's comeback
“I want to play every game, and I pretty much did that until the end of January," Neil told the Northern Echo. "The gaffer came in and just said that he felt I was fatigued, mentally more than physically to be honest, because of all these ups and downs and the rollercoaster that we’ve been on.
“We just had a chat and he said, 'Listen, I'm going to take you out for a few games, relax and get yourself back to the way you are because we want you firing at the end of the season'. That’s the way I’ve tried to look at it as well. Obviously, I don’t want it to be too long, but at the same time, we’ve got some good players in the team. Jay Matete has done really well, Luke O’Nien is coming back, Corry (Evans) is playing well. It’s not just going to be an easy walk back into the team. I’m going to have to earn it, and hopefully I can be firing again when the crunch time this season comes.”
