Mary Hannigan finds John O'Shea is happy to play wherever he's asked

It's as well for John O'Shea that he's relaxed about his club and international managers continuing to make full use of his versatility, the Waterford man seemingly unperturbed about not being able to put down roots in one position, his career still a constant shuffle between midfield and defence.

Having enjoyed a run in midfield for both Manchester United and Ireland last season, O'Shea might have hoped his shuffling days were done, but in the absence of the injured Richard Dunne he will find himself back in defence against Holland tonight.

And should Dunne fail to recover in time from his hamstring strain for next month's game against Germany, O'Shea's return to midfield may be further delayed. "But I view anywhere as my main position; as long as I'm playing, that's the main thing," he said. "But, yeah, I've had a good run in midfield; for Steve's two games in charge I've played there. And I'm enjoying it, I'm feeling really comfortable in that position, but there could be situations that arise where I'm needed at full-back or centre-half, I'll do a job anywhere."

Longer term, though, both of his managers appear to see his future in midfield, but his chances of keeping his place at United were presumably diminished by the signing of Michael Carrick during the summer. And should Marcos Senna join from Villarreal before the transfer window shuts - or Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich, as has been speculated - O'Shea's hopes of making it in to the starting XI on a regular basis will be dented again. There was, though, never any possibility of him being sold by the club this summer, he insists.

"I was never worried about any of the speculation because it seems to have happened for the last four summers. I was well used to it and the manager had said to me that there was never any chance of me leaving," he said.

"I have spoken with Carlos Queiroz (the United assistant manager) and he said that midfield will be my main position again, but there are no worries on my part because the team is looking to put up a major challenge against Chelsea and the others - and to do that you have to have a quality squad with cover in lots of positions. I hope there will be more additions to the squad because we need it if we are to challenge this year."

With Carrick injured and Paul Scholes banned for three of the first four games of the season - he is free to face Fulham on Sunday - O'Shea should at least feature in the opening stages of United's Premiership campaign, ensuring he'll be well practised by the time that trip to Stuttgart comes around.

"Looking at Germany in the World Cup it showed the task that we have ahead of us," he said. "There was never going to be a good time for us to go there, but I think it's a great challenge for us to go for a win and get the group off to a great start.

"Going in to the World Cup, Germany were looked upon as a team that wasn't going to do too well but suddenly it all turned right for them. They've changed their manager now so you'd hope the 'Klinsmann factor' is gone, but everyone there seems to see it as an easy transition because it was Klinsmann's number two who took over. We'll have to wait and see on that one."

Ireland's failure to qualify for the World Cup finals left O'Shea with free time to fill during the summer, part of which he used to do a touch of motivational speaking to the Waterford under-21 hurlers.

"Justin McCarthy (the senior Waterford coach) asked me to go out and talk to them because he thinks they are a good enough team to be challenging for honours. I just said to them to believe in themselves and don't be looking for second best."

A bit like Roy Keane did with Cork?

"It was way before and he copied me! I never did anything like it before and it was nerve-racking, I thought those lads would just take the utter piss out of me. But no, it was good. They went out and won the game a few days later against Limerick," he said of the under-21's Munster quarter-final win. After that they lost to Keane's county in the semi-finals, just as they did in the senior semi-final earlier this month.

"I'd know a good few of the (senior) team. I went to school with John Mullane. I get on well with him. He was devastated afterwards. He said the players had given their all but just came up short."

A little like Ireland's World Cup qualifying campaign. The Déise man is hoping the European campaign will have a happier ending. Wherever he plays, he's not bothered.