Moore urges Jones to pursue role out wide

Aug 28 2007 by Nick Hilton, Liverpool Daily Post

MIKE JONES has been handed the task of challenging crowd-pleaser Chris Shuker for the right wing position at Tranmere Rovers.

Manager Ronnie Moore is convinced the 20-year-old local boy, with only one senior appearance under his belt, is up to the job, saying: “If Mike Jones has his mind right, he can do it.”

Moore believes Jones has enough ability of his own to put pressure on Shuker, the most naturally gifted player in the Prenton Park dressing room.

Shuker was also the only Rovers player to earn a place in the PFA team of the season for 2006/07.

But Moore has urged Jones to put aside the notion of trying to build a career as a central midfielder and concentrate instead on honing his skills as a wide man.

Moore said: “I have had a little word with Mike Jones and told him that if he is going to play in this team, he should be putting pressure on Chris Shuker.

“He has this thing in his head that he wants to play central midfield and he is going to struggle to get into our midfield with the players we have here.

“But Shukes has the right wing spot all to himself. I left Chris out of a game or two during the pre-season friendlies, just to see what Jones looked like with the big boys. And I was very impressed.

“He has got ability. He just needs to believe he can play in that position.”

Birkenhead-born Jones, a product at Tranmere’s youth development system, made his only senior appearance as a substitute in an FA Cup tie against Woking last season.

He was later released on extended loan to Shrewsbury Town but much to Moore’s disappointment, made only three starts and 10 substitute appearances for the League Two club.

However, Jones was offered a new one-year contract with Tranmere at the end of last season.

Moore said: “I think the Shrewsbury experience, not being able to get into a League Two side, might have been a bit of a wake-up call for Jones.

“Some people have suggested his best position is just behind the front two. But we are Tranmere Rovers, not Real Madrid and we can’t afford the luxury of having a player in that brandy and cigars role.

“It’s now about Jones having total belief that right wing is going to be his niche. He can’t be thinking that if he does not do well there he can always come inside and play central. It’s not going to happen. But if the lad had his mind right he can put Shukes under pressure and he can come into the side if Shukes is injured.”

Moore believes Jones can take encouragement from the example of Steve Davies. The teenager from Garston broke into Tranmere’s first team two years ago as a centre-forward. But his career blossomed following a switch to the left wing last season.

Now Leeds United are leading a queue of larger clubs taking a close interest in Davies’s progress at Prenton Park. The Yorkshire club are understood to have made an unsuccessful bid for the 19-year-old.

Moore said: “The Mike Jones situation is a little bit like the one we had with Davo last season. He was a centre-forward and we edged him out to that wide left role.

“Davo wasn’t too sure to start with but he took it on board. Now he has claimed that left side berth in our side. That shows how the door can open for Jones.”