Friday, 31st May, 2013

Manchester United legend Ronny Johnsen has hailed the versatility of centre-back-cum-defensive-midfielder Phil Jones, adding that players such as the England international are made for the world of modern football.

Jones has won praise for his performances at Manchester United, despite his 2012/13 campaign being littered with injuries, playing in a variety of positions such as right midfield, defensive midfield, right-back and centre-back, containing notable players such as Everton’s Marouane Fellaini and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.



Jones’ adaptability on the pitch has already earned plaudits from his former boss and Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson, who said that the 21-year-old is a "fantastic" player who can be played anywhere.

And while some are casting doubts on Jones’ erratic role in the Red Devils eleven for the future, former player Johnsen believes that the trait is more a strength than a liability.

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"Phil doesn’t need to be worried. Anyway, I think he benefits from it in the end. He’s so young he can benefit from being versatile and he can learn from playing a little bit everywhere", the 43-year-old Norwegian told the club’s official site.

Johnsen even used himself as an example, explaining: "The gaffer used to like me playing in midfield, especially when ‘Keano’ [Roy Keane] was out with injury. But I played in defence, at the back, a lot and enjoyed it."

The former Manchester United player went further to say that such a trait is vital in modern football, where one needs to be adept in every area of the pitch.

"Some clubs have to change things around a bit and look for a peak from the players they have got. Sometimes, you just have to adapt and play in the position where the manager wants you to play.

"If you’re positive and you just think: ‘I will benefit from this and learn a little bit from playing on this side or elsewhere’. Teamwise, I think that’s the way the modern game is and especially the modern player as well."

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