Sunderland: Why Tony Mowbray wants to 'keep Dan Neil quiet'

But the Sunderland boss doesn't want to shout it from the rooftops and alert Premier League clubs of the talent the Black Cats midfielder possesses.

Instead, he says, he wants to “keep Neil quiet”.

Watching from afar as Blackburn boss, Mowbray thought Neil was the best player in League One last season.

And working closely with the 21-year-old since taking charge at Sunderland has backed up Mowbray’s view on the midfielder’s “top” talent - not that he's too keen on making it known.

"Listen, I'm not going to sit here and build Dan Neil up so you lot can go and get him sold to a Premier League club," laughed Mowbray.

"I was very aware of him at Blackburn Rovers, he was on our radar as the best player in League One in our opinion. Now that I'm here and working with him I'm going to keep him quiet, just let him do what he does and keep developing."

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Neil burst into the Sunderland first team last season but lost his place under Alex Neil, and went away and ironed out the issues in his game that his former boss had raised.

This season he hasn't just re-established himself in the Sunderland team - starting 25 of 28 Championship games - he's also been one of the best central midfield players in the Championship. And his head coach believes he'll get better and better.

"He's a wonderful kid, he looks you in the eye and asks you questions," said Mowbray after the weekend win over rivals Middlesbrough, in which Neil shone in the middle of the park.

"When you shout and moan at him for not doing this or that, he doesn't throw a strop, he comes to see the clips so that he can understand what you mean. He's a very, very talented young guy who wants to get better.

"He's got all the attributes to be a top midfielder player, Michael Carrick will follow me in soon and he isn't too far away from being that type of midfielder - who is elegant with that bit of quality. He's growing into becoming a good footballer, but please don't go making big headlines, we want to keep him quiet."