‘CALLUM IS A VERSATILE PLAYER AND HAS A REALLY GOOD FOOTBALL BRAIN...’

CALLUM Ainley’s first position remains as a ‘number 10’ but Dave Artell is pleased to have the option of using him at wing-back after the 24-year-old impressed in that position on his return from injury. Ainley lined up at right wing back for the 2-0 win at home to Doncaster in the Papa John’s Trophy and delivered a confident performance as he was given 45 minutes on his return from the hamstring injury he suffered in the 1-1 draw at Rotherham on September 25.

The manager said: “I think anyone who saw him on Wednesday night saw a really positive performance.

The fact they took their lad off at half-time says everything you needed to know about Callum’s performance in that first half, he was very good.

“So, that is what he can bring there. In that position, he is a winger with a few defensive responsibilities. So, I have no reason to doubt that he can do that.

“Callum is a versatile player, he always has been because he has a football brain.

“We have to make sure he is effective in each of those positions. He is always capable, we have to make sure he becomes a goalscorer or assist-maker in whatever position he goes into. I am sure he will because he is a good player.”

So, Ainley gives Artell another option at right wing back although deploying him there rather than, for example, Ben Knight, was more about Ainley gaining fitness. That said Artell is not afraid to experiment, whether that is in the league or the lower-profile Trophy. The manager added: “In the last two or three games before Doncaster, we had been playing Scott Kashket there and he is a centre forward. There is no getting around that, he is a centre forward. “Callum is not a centre forward, so he naturally has a bit more of an eye on what happens behind him. “So, if he needs to go there we certainly wouldn’t be playing him as a full back.

“It is probably his secondary position but it’s one he is capable of doing. He is an attacking midfielder, a number 10, primarily, but we wanted to make sure he could run up and down unimpeded the other night.

“He was only playing 45 minutes and it was important he stretched his legs as much as he could in those 45 minutes.

“The most physically demanding position is wing back and he did that. That’s why he played there and not number 10.” Crewe’s reward for beating Doncaster is a home tie against another fellow League One side, Rotherham United, in the last 16. That round of ties are scheduled to be played the week beginning January 3.

· THE Alex return to first team action this evening when they are at home to Lincoln City in League One (7.45pm).

Crewe are bottom of the table, six places and nine points below the Imps.