Alan Stubbs has backed Ben Godfrey to become Everton’s first choice centre-back but warns that the player’s versatility could work against him.
Since his £20million transfer from Norwich City last October, Godfrey has operated across the back four for the Blues with prolonged periods as an auxiliary full-back on both flanks.
While the York-born player has been happy to fill in where required, first for Carlo Ancelotti and now for Rafa Benitez, he still primarily sees himself as a centre-back and as someone who only ever operated in the heart of defence himself, former Everton captain Stubbs believes that’s where the 23-year-old should be.
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He told the ECHO: “It’s an area (central defence) where the previous managers have looked at it because it needed improving but the players they have there now are all very different and there aren’t really two alike.
“For me, Ben Godfrey will be the best out of all of them and it will be him and one other at some point.
“Once he gets more experience, he has fantastic attributes to be very good but the one thing you need as a defender is experience because it helps you improve so much.”
In terms of Godfrey filling in at full-back, Stubbs added: “It’s great that he can do that but when you can play in a few positions, while it’s useful for the manager, it doesn’t necessarily help the individual at times.
“Hopefully they can get Seamus (Coleman) back fit again and get Godfrey a real good run of games in that central role because I think everybody would agree that’s going to be his position because versatility can be your downfall.”
Stubbs, who celebrated his 50th birthday last week, is looking forward to Everton’s upcoming game with West Ham United but admitted it will feel odd seeing his former boss David Moyes trying to plot the Blues’ downfall while old foe Benitez is in charge of the hosts at Goodison Park.
He added: “I think it will be very strange for both managers. They might have to look over their shoulders to see that they’re in the right dugout!”
