Tony Mowbray is reluctant to let Niall Huggins leave on loan this month - describing the fit-again defender as his 'comfort blanket' due to his ability to cover both full-back roles. Huggins spent more than a year on the sidelines with back and heel injuries before returning in November, but after just one outing the 22-year-old suffered an ankle issue in training, although he resumed full training yesterday.
Mowbray has said that some of his fringe players would be allowed to leave on loan this month to get regular games, with midfielder Jay Matete's temporary switch to Plymouth last week a case in point, but the head coach seems keen to keep Huggins on Wearside and involve him in Sunderland's Championship campaign. Asked whether there is a possibility of Huggins going out on loan, Mowbray said: "Those conversations will be another week or two away, I think - it'd be right at the death, if that was to happen.
"At this moment, he is almost like a comfort blanket for me, really, because he can cover right-back, he can cover left-back, he's a fabulous athlete, a great kid, he's comfortable with the ball. I'm not in a rush to let Niall Huggins go anywhere at the moment, unless the boy comes and knocks on my door and sees that as his progression - and even then it doesn't guarantee that that's going to happen, because I have to do what is right for the football club.
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"It's good that he is back on the grass, it's good that he trained fully yesterday with the first team, and let's hope he stays fit over the next few weeks. If he does stay fit, there's a fair chance we can rotate him in and out and get him some gametime.
"He's probably missed too much football at this club, so it is probably not a bad thing to be dropped in and dropped out when he has had so many injury problems. Without guaranteeing it, I'd say there's a fair chance Niall will be staying with us and getting some gametime between now and the end of the season.
"What he really needs is a good pre-season under his belt and compete to get in the team."
With Trai Hume having impressed when he has started, and with Lynden Gooch having recovered from a hamstring strain, Sunderland have several options at right-back. And the versatile Luke O'Nien is currently occupying the left-back spot while Dennis Cirkin and Aji Alese are sidelined.
But Huggins will offer Mowbray another option on either side.
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