Middlesbrough’s Paddy McNair has barely featured this season.
Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis has admitted that summer signing Paddy McNair doesn’t like playing as a wingback before praising his efforts in the middle of defence, the Northern Echo report.
“Paddy [McNair] doesn’t like playing wing-back. He has come on and done smashing for me (as a centre-back). He didn’t look uncomfortable which was nice,” Pulis said in the aftermath of the win over Blackburn Rovers.
Boro signed McNair last summer for a reported £5 million fee. Dubbed a utility type player, McNair signed on a four-year deal from Sunderland after the Black Cats were relegated to League One.
The former Manchester United man, however, has barely featured for Boro this season, making just three Championship starts as he struggles to break in to the starting eleven.
McNair is naturally a midfielder, yet the Teesside club also signed George Saville and Mo Besic last summer, while John Obi Mikel joined in January. Jonny Howson, Adam Clayton and Lewis Wing are other central options.
The 23-year-old’s path to a regular spot in midfield is heavily blocked, and by Pulis’s admission it seems he isn’t too keen on playing in a wingback position usually occupied by George Friend or Dael Fry.
McNair, however, may have better luck featuring as one of three central defenders alongside the likes of Daniel Ayala and Aden Flint with Danny Batth recently departing the club to join Stoke City permanently.
McNair has the attributes to play as part of a back three, yet his inclusion may ultimately depend on Boro’s shape as for much of the season boss Tony Pulis has opted to play with a natural back four.
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