Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is confident Lee Cattermole will become an excellent club captain.
Cattermole, 22, took over the team captain's role from Lorik Cana this season and has previous experience in a leadership role, having skippered Middlesbrough aged just 18.
"Lee knows the reason I gave him the captaincy, which was try and give him a little extra bit of responsibility," Bruce told safc.com.
"He epitomises what I like in a footballer. He works hard and never gives up. People will follow him. He is a leader, even at his age.
"Lee knows what he has to curb and he knows he needs to learn a little bit. If he's on a yellow card he can't go making a rash challenge.
"He is only young. I picked him as my captain and I will stand by him."
