Blues boss Mick McCarthy says it wasn’t a hard decision to move skipper Luke Chambers back to right-back at Blackburn on Saturday but that it wasn’t a reflection on youngster Josh Emmanuel’s performances in the previous two games, more the additional qualities he believes his captain brings to his team.

Emmanuel, 19, had played against Brighton and Huddersfield prior to the international break, Chambers having moved into the centre alongside Christophe Berra while Adam Webster and Tommy Smith were both out injured.

With Webster available again after his hamstring problem, was it a tough to opt to leave the academy product on the bench at Ewood Park?

“No, because it was the right thing to do,” said McCarthy, whose defenders have recorded four cleans sheets in the last six games.

“It was hard because he’s played well, but it’s not because I’m not leaving Chambo out. He’s a real leader on the pitch, he’s my captain, the team captain, they all call him 'Skip', they all look up to him.

“Is he the best right-back in the league? No, but I tell you what, he’s different class for us. I don’t think I’m going to achieve anything more [without him in the team]. It's what you're going to attain, are you going to get anything better?

“Does a decision like that - and that’s what I’m paid for - does it create more problems than it solves? And I think it does. So no, it wasn’t a hard decision because he’s been different class, Chambo.”

McCarthy says it’s what his captain gives to the team overall rather than simply a matter of the position he's playing in.

“With players, it’s an emotional game,” McCarthy continued. “People sit in the stands and they have favourite players and they want them to play.

“It’s what they bring to the team, it’s what they bring to the whole team, not just that one position. And that’s with everybody.

“And Chambo brings a whole lot of stuff to the team. And over and above all that, he’s a proper bloke, he gets everybody else motivated, he’s great.”

Meanwhile, the U23s take on Colchester United at the Weston Homes Community Stadium this evening (KO 7pm).

Photo: Action Images

bluehook added 08:04 - Oct 17 Has MM got a man crush?
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jpring89 added 08:10 - Oct 17 What a tw@t
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dirtydingusmagee added 08:16 - Oct 17 Kuqicoup,that may be, but can they play right back ? ha ha .
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H1960 added 08:19 - Oct 17 Words fail me, these latest comments just show how deluded the man is and how he is showing a complete disregard for what seems to be the opinion of the fans. He is now so far up his own arse you cannot dee the soles of his feet.
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H1960 added 08:21 - Oct 17 Sorry i meant see
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dirtydingusmagee added 08:27 - Oct 17 it just underlines how Mick and his mindset will never change, and he has no problem with p##sing the supporters off either, thats why booing and chants and banners will never change him or get him to leave, it needs more drastic action , STAY AWAY. DO SOMETHING ELSE with your hard earned money, ITS THAT EASY. as long as you keep turning up at the games he and Evans will be satisfied.Choice is your folks,no point in moaning about the crap if you still happy to pay to watch it .

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hogster1970 added 08:27 - Oct 17 well what a suprise mick, some one mentioned this the other day and i recon it will work quiet well, actually better than it does at the moment. put webster as our defensive midfielder instead of scuse, as he has goood feet can eye a pass and can tackle and has some pace, that means chambo can be cb and josh as right back, problem solved, burton at home is ideal time to experiment or against the geordies as we will prob loose there any how. then we can have bishop beside webster if its a 442 if you aint carefull dino all our talent which is coming through will soon foxtrot oscar to another club if they dont get a look in,

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sidtheswan added 08:32 - Oct 17 Shows what a mug you are get out of our club you boring myopic arrogant incompetent b@£&?£&!
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Lower_North added 08:43 - Oct 17 Mick, pick me for right back.I'm a proper bloke and can get people motivated.And guess what I can't trap a bag of cement either..
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NormEmerges added 08:44 - Oct 17 Surely it's time to give Josh a run at right back! In my view, with Webster's ball playing ability, he should be in the 'Eric Dier' role in front of the back four, so Chambo can revert to centre back and we drop one of the no hopers in midfield - probably Douglas.
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warwickblue added 08:45 - Oct 17 “People sit in the stands and they have favourite players and they want them to play" Oh no we don't Mick....several thousand "people", including me, haven't sat in the stands once this season and I won't be back any time soon. And before anyone classifies me as a "glory hunter" I had my first season ticket in 1967. I respect Luke Chambers as a man and as a professional. No-one doubts his commitment, surely, but he is sadly being asked to captain a team which is playing the most horrible. ugly, defensive brand of football we have seen at Portman Road in decades. The fact that Luke doesn't favour the right-back position is neither here nor there really, when you consider what he currently has in front of him and what they are being asked to do. There is a worrying loss of direction across the team as a whole it seems and McCarthy's increasingly petulant and dismissive barbs at the "people" are surely a sign that all is not well.

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BanksterDebtSlave added 08:49 - Oct 17 Hasn't Berra made it pretty clear that he will be back up to Scotland at the end of the season ? So play Chambers there if you must !
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RegencyBlue added 08:57 - Oct 17 I really cannot put up with much more of this - the man is completely deluded!
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Radlett_blue added 08:59 - Oct 17 This is one of the best examples of why MM is & will remain a short term, make-do manager. Chambers is an excellent professional, a solid Championship CB & a decent guy & yes, I'm sure he does bring something more to the table in terms of team spirit. He's playing RB to the best of his ability because MM asks him to do it. But with him at RB where, by everyone's admission he's not one of the best in this League, we're less likely to progress & play better football. Worse still, Emmanuel (who may or may not mature into a better player than Chambers) won't get game time & a chance to develop.

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jonbull88 added 09:01 - Oct 17 While chambers might not be everyone's cup of tea, and I like so many people want to see Emmanuel I play at right back this isn't the main issue atm, it's the Douglas/skuse partnership that's hurting us, 4 goals we've scored since they joined forces again, THAT is where things need a spice up I'd like to see us 4-4-2 with Jonny in the middle with skuse and Sears up top with best.

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algarvefan added 09:04 - Oct 17 I have always been a staunch supporter of Mick in terms of what he has been asked to do with virtually no resources from the owner. That however is wearing very thin now as I see the progress and development of our young players put a risk due to his insistence in playing Chambers out of position. Surely Josh should be given the opportunity, having done well, to develop in that position and if Chambers or Berra need to be dropped so be it. I'm beginning to think our only future is to be relegated, have a clear out and play youngsters with a new vibrant, up and coming manager.

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vanmunt added 09:08 - Oct 17 Oh Myopic Mick, your Hubris: synonyms: arrogance, conceit, conceitedness, haughtiness, pride, vanity, self-importance, self-conceit, pomposity, superciliousness, feeling of superiority; hauteur; informaluppitiness, big-headedness... is killing this once proud football club. It's like groundhog day and I for one think I am genuinely done.
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goat_man added 09:09 - Oct 17 Wouldnt a different class right back be someone like Dani Alves? Nothing about CHAMBO is remotely similar!
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Taricco_Fan added 09:27 - Oct 17 Chambers is, without doubt, the worst player I have seen at right-back in a Town shirt. That's (obviously) because he isn't a RB although I don't rate him that highly as a CB. He's a sub-standard footballer with woeful distribution. A passionate leader he may be, but to be captain you need to be a good player too, one of the first names on the team sheet. Chambers cannot justify this on ability. Sadly for Josh Emmanuel, he may have to move on to further his career, like many of our youngsters. MM out.

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Pilgrimblue added 09:27 - Oct 17 Thanks Hogster my thoughts exactly. Ok I accept that Chambo is a leader and may have an affect on the pitch BUT only at CB. It's clear to me having seen and heard from others that Webster has huge talent and clearly enjoys getting forward so put him in centre midfield where his pace vision etc will be key to getting us up the table. Looking at other Championship games over weekend I saw so many central midfielders getting box to box. But our two cant get over halfway let alone pass more than 5 yards. If either do manage to cross the line they can't get back quick enough, it's a shambles!

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Hadagutfull added 09:29 - Oct 17 Churchill or Mandela were good leaders too. Shall we dig them up and see if they can do a stint at right back? What an arrogant stubborn old fool you are Mick. God help us!!
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shakytown added 09:41 - Oct 17 Chambos a different class, Dougies a different class skuseys fantastic. Is that why we a 17th in the league and dropping like a lead weight?????? Please for you own sake as well as ours leave ASAP.
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Vizslaraner added 09:44 - Oct 17 So there you have it folks, he won't drop any of the favourites. The only bright light is Evans won't let this go on forever as I dread to think what the gate will be tomorrow night. Half of what he says is to wind up the fans, but I genuinely believe that as long as he is here we have got to put up with this crap and the un-droppables! Going nowhere and how can we progress with this mentality

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beornioblue added 09:44 - Oct 17 well im stunned by this comment Mick praising his favourites after another "goalfest"what a shocker... whatever his leadership qualities are his RB skills just dont exist, worse still he actually looked ok at CB (apart from the stupid mistake against H'field). If I was Josh id be handing in a transfer request because he isnt going to get a proper chance unless theres an injury. Sad Times

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planetblue_2011 added 09:47 - Oct 17 You always play your best mates even if they are a crap Rb.
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