GARRY Flitcroft's arrival at Ewood could be a manager's dream or, in another sense, his worst nightmare.

Blackburn Rovers boss Ray Harford has certainly got the competition for places that he wanted in a midfield section stocked with talent.

It could hardly be more cut throat, with the likes of Flitcroft, Lars Bohinen, Tim Sherwood, Billy McKinlay etc fighting for places.

But they can't all play in the same team.

While Rovers are plagued with the sort of absentee list that, in recent weeks, has made team selection a formality, it's a boon to have as many bodies as possible.

But when the injury situation improves, as it must surely do, the problem changes to one of keeping everybody happy.

It's a similar scenario to the days before David Batty's transfer to Newcastle when it was clear that four, or even five, into two midfield places wouldn't go.

Those central midfield players who can fill other roles may have to do just that.

When available, Sherwood and Bohinen could clearly be seen as the first choice.

Flitcroft's signing is a challenge to both. For he has shown at City that he can play the box-to-box attacking midfield role in the past while, latterly, he has been asked to do more of a holding job to allow Georgi Kinkladze to roam.

So both men are under threat from the new boy, and holding down a regular place will become even more difficult for players such as McKinlay and Nicky Marker, who both gave excellent performances in the win over Spurs.

Like Warhurst, they have appeared in other positions and that might be the best route into the manager's thinking for them.

Having such depth is a fact of life if a club is to compete at the very highest level. It's the only way to survive but it does bring its own problems for individuals.

The manager will have his own views on how he wants to play it and another thought is that the latest arrival gives him more flexibility to change the system if required - 4-3-3, for example.

As I see it, while Rovers battle to try to reach a UEFA Cup place, there will be another contest within the club, with central midfield the stage.

Flitcroft will fill one spot, who gets the other\s?

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.