Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill has this morning revealed who will be his first-choice centre-back pairing this season.
Having moved on Michael Turner to accommodate new-signing Carlos Cuellar, it comes as little surprise that it will be the Spaniard who partners John O’Shea at the heart of the Black Cats defence.
Speaking to The Chronicle, the boss confirmed his decision:
“Carlos` best position is at centre-back.
“He has played at right-back for me, more times than either he or I would have wanted and did it finely.
“Carlos has a number of limitations in that full-back position.
“I probably see John O`Shea as a centre-half too. He is more comfortable in that position.”
That will leave Wes Brown, Titus Bramble and Matt Kilgallon all scrabbling for places among the substitutes and with five senior centre-halves on the books, O’Neill could be tempted to move another one of Bramble or Kilgallon on to reduce the wage budget.
