LUCAS Neill could prove to be a valuable asset for Blackburn boss Mark Hughes this winter after impressing in a new central defensive role for Australia.
The 27-year-old has spent most of his career at right-back but Australia coach Guus Hiddink showed that the former Millwall defender has other assets to his game by deploying him in the middle of defence in an adventurous 3-4-3 formation against Jamaica on Sunday.
And Neill looked at home in his new position, helping to keep a clean sheet as the Socceroos romped to a 5-0 friendly victory at Fulham's Craven Cottage.
That performance by the tough-tackling Aussie may well give Hughes some food for thought in terms of the future.
But Hiddink is convinced the Blackburn defender is now versatile enough to do a job anywhere across the back after rising to his latest challenge.
The Dutchman said: "Lucas can play in three or four positions.
"He can play as we played him on Sunday, he can play in central defence but he can also play as a full-back.
"I like to have players who are flexible and can play in different positions.
"The formation worked because I like to have a lot of players pushing forward, even when we don't have the ball, which is a style I like very much.
"The team did well, with the exception of two or three situations, and those situations we have to avoid in the upcoming games."
Neill's Ewood team-mate, Brett Emerton, also featured for 70 minutes as Australia rounded off a worthwhile week ahead of their World Cup play-off against South America's fifth-ranked team - to be decided on Wednesday.
Emerton and Neill were both at Australia's training camp in Holland last week, when Hiddink and his players worked on some new tactics with a view to their upcoming double-header.
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