I’ll seize chance in right-back role and make it

VERSATILE Paddy McNair is ready to embrace his new role as Northern Ireland’s rampaging right wing-back having become accustomed to playing away from his favoured position for most of his career.

Ballyclare boy McNair views himself as a central midfielder and played in that role during Northern Ireland’s Central America tour prior to the World Cup in Russia. Indeed, he was man of the match against Panama for his industrious and dominating performance alongside Jonny and Corry Evans.

But when he made the breakthrough as a talented teenager at Manchester United in 2014, then Red Devils boss Louis van Gaal selected him at centre-half and after leaving Old Trafford for Sunderland, he also played in defence.

With competition tight in Northern Ireland’s midfield — Steven Davis, George Saville and Ollie Norwood currently occupy the positions in the middle of the park with Corry Evans in reserve — and boss Michael O’Neill looking to utilise a new high press style of play, McNair, who excelled in the right wingback role during Northern Ireland’s impressive 3-0 win over Israel last month, is relishing the chance to start his 22nd match for his country and be explosive once again down the flank against Austria tomorrow night.

Millwall’s Conor McLaughlin was given the right-back shirt against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but McNair’s performance against Israel has earned him the right to start in Vienna.

The 23-year-old said: “I enjoy playing right-back. If you asked me my preferred position that would be midfield, but with this new playing style I’m able to get forward from right-back and get involved with the attacking play.

“One of the reasons I like playing in midfield is that I can get in the box. Playing right-back, particularly in the last game, I was able to attack a lot. I really enjoyed it, and if I play there again hopefully I’ll be able to keep doing that.”

Northern Ireland are playing catch-up in this three-team Nations League following that opening defeat to Bosnia last month.

If the men in green are to make a serious challenge to top Group B3, with Bosnia already on six points, then victory at the Ernst Happel Stadium is essential. A win would also give O’Neill’s men an excellent chance of finishing above Austria in the group, should Bosnia finish on top, as the bottom side are relegated to the third tier.

McNair said: “Our perfor-