Neil Farrugia appreciates the value in being adaptable after seeing Andy Lyons emerge as his direct competition.
And that’s why the wide-man has no qualms playing on the right flank rather than the left when asked to by Shamrock Rovers.
Lyons has been a revelation for the champions since joining from arch rivals Bohemians over the winter.
Although he made his name as a right-back for the Gypsies and Ireland’s Under-21s, he is thriving as a left-wing back for the Hoops.
And Lyons has become such an attacking threat from that position, he has already weighed in with five league goals.
Farrugia, 23, wants to get motoring again after a stop-start spell with Rovers following serious hamstring injuries and operations.
And he and Sean Kavanagh would have had designs on that left-wing back role following Liam Scales’ move to Celtic last year.
But their respective, lengthy injury problems hampered their progress and Lyons has been transformed into a serious operator on that side.
Farrugia has started just three league games this season and made six other appearances off the bench.
And the most recent of those was his half-time arrival in Thursday’s 3-0 stroll against his old club UCD.
He replaced Lyons, who Stephen Bradley could afford to rest with a quick-fire return to action in Drogheda tonight.
Farrugia played on the left before switching to the right - but insists he will perform wherever he is asked.
“It's part of the game with inverted wingers and I guess the gaffer gives us a lot of freedom,” said Farrugia.
“I know we play as wing-backs but I feel we're quite attacking compared to regular wing-backs. We're trying that out and it gives us an extra option for the next games.”
Farrugia continued: “When I was with UCD, I played on the right quite a bit and I feel like I'm a forward. That’s how I enjoy the game, going and playing forward.
“If he wants to try me in more positions, and forward positions, I'm all for it. I'll just keep my head down and keep working hard.
“It's been a while since I played down the right but the positioning is pretty much the same.
“It's what you do on the ball and the different options, so it's about seeing where the space is and playing into it.
“Rotation of the squad is key to keeping everyone fit and ready and fresh for when Europe comes because they're the big ones.”
Farrugia’s hamstring issues first surfaced in 2019 and dogged him for two years until he saw Harry’s Kane’s surgeon in London.
And bar an unrelated niggle in the opening game of this season that briefly set him back, Farrugia is starting to motor again.
He insists there’s no mental block holding him back and added: “Any player who has been out for that long will say there’s always that apprehension, but the boy is good.”
Drogheda beat Finn Harps 3-1 on Friday to open up a six-point gap in the race to avoid the relegation playoff and the automatic drop.
And a buoyed Drogs boss Kevin Doherty said: "It was an important win and gives us the freedom going into the Rovers game, so let's see what happens.
“Our lads put in their best performance since the Dundalk game and hopefully we can bounce on and go on a little run."
