Samuel Iling-Junior saw Middlesbrough FC defensive role coming, reveals Michael Carrick
Samuel Iling-Junior's emergence as a Middlesbrough left-back was something the 21-year-old saw coming and something he has the natural instincts to excel at, according to his coach Michael Carrick.
The left-footer's starts for Juventus, Bologna and his full Boro debut all came as a winger operating on either side of the field.
But Londoner Iling-Junior, who decided to leave Chelsea for Italy as an 18-year-old, mentioned playing as a full-back before he moved to the north east on loan from Aston Villa in January.
"It's not as new as you might think," said Carrick, who first started Iling-Junior there at home to Queens Park Rangers in mid-March. "Even when I spoke to him about coming it was something he spoke about.
"He said he might end up becoming a left-back/left wing-back.
"I know in the first couple of games he played high on the right but he's played for England in a similar position – maybe not as deep as a left-back – and defended really well and he's got natural attributes to do that, a natural instinct to defend."
Iling-Junior has represented every England age-group from under-15 to under-21, and given the paucity of left-backs in the senior squad, some consistent good form in that position could open the door for him to complete the set in future.
Boro are at Blackburn Rovers on Friday knowing that for the second season running, a late burst of form has put them into Championship play-off contention having apparently missed the boat.
Sheffield Wednesday, who start the weekend 12th with 52 points still consider themselves contenders, albeit outsiders, and host the Teessiders on Easter Monday.
Carrick is drawing no hard and fast conclusion about who is or is not in the race, except to acknowledge that his own players have given themselves a chance by at last learning to win tight games this season.
"We were written off by some not long ago," he pointed out. "It can turn so quickly from one week to the next.
"We're right in there.
"We need to grab as many points as we can and see where that takes us. "It's a huge quality to have and to be successful it's something you need as a team.
"I've spoken long enough through the seasons about situations where we could and maybe should have done better so hopefully the boys have learnt from it and the experience as well."