Vinny from midfielder to skipper and centreback

[isab23502]

I was just thinking about Vinny joining us and making a good debut as kind-of Hamann's replacement in the midfield. How did he get from there to being centre-back... and did he lose his place altogether for a while? Was that down to injury or being dropped. Anyone able to give me an idea of what role he was intended to occupy, why he didn't carry on doing that and how he came to become our main defender?

 

[ell]

He was signed as a centre back. He had a long stint in midfield because he did well and we were short on numbers

 

[stony]

He was signed as a centre back. He had a long stint in midfield because he did well and we were short on numbers

My recollection is that Hughes signed him as a midfielder.

 

[Rascal]

My recollection was he was signed because he was versatile and could and had played numerous positions.

Sort of like a world class version of Phil Jones

 

[SuperYaya]

He was signed as a centre back. He had a long stint in midfield because he did well and we were short on numbers

My recollection is that Hughes signed him as a midfielder.

I think the same.

He was out of the team for some time, think he injured his toe pretty early on.

 

[FantasyIreland]

His 'natural' position is centre half,but he was touted as a world class versatile talent before injuries in his youth.Once over those injuries Hamburg took a chance and signed him as DVB's replacement.
I believe we got him 'cheap' due to a clash of personality at some level.

 

[goat boy]

He was signed as a centre back. He had a long stint in midfield because he did well and we were short on numbers

My recollection is that Hughes signed him as a midfielder.

I think the same.

He was out of the team for some time, think he injured his toe pretty early on.

I seem to recall he tried to manage the back half of his first season with injections, thus looked a bit of a duffer at times, and was late back in the 2nd season after an operation on it. Personally i think he was signed as a defensive midfielder but valuable as a stand in centre back. We knew he'd played there at anderlecht.

 

[JacksonJones]

Kompany always played centre back at Anderlecht and Hamburg so it's hard to believe he was signed as def mid.

 

[ForzaMancini]

My recollection was he was signed because he was versatile and could and had played numerous positions.

Sort of like a world class version of Phil Jones

Blasphemy! My eyes!

 

[BringBackSwales]

Hughes signed him and played him as a central midfielder. Mancini it was who turned him into the best centre back in world football, grazie Roberto