Tendayi Darikwa remains stuck on the sidelines at Nottingham Forest, but he is helping Matty Cash to nail down a right-back berth in his absence.
The Reds saw their hand forced over the summer.
Sabri Lamouchi appeared to have it in his mind from the moment he arrived that Cash would no longer be a winger.
A plan was pieced together to nudge him back a third.
At that stage, Darikwa was probably the favoured option to line up on the right of the back four.
An untimely knee ligament injury scuppered those best-laid plans.
The most natural fit for a defensive post was suddenly ruled out for the rest of 2019.
Forest turned to the transfer market and lured Carl Jenkinson away from Arsenal.
Regular
His arrival suggested once again that Cash would face a fight for regular minutes.
Fate has favoured an academy graduate, and he has made the most of his opportunity.
The chance to thrive in a new position has been grabbed with both hands.
Cash has been a model of consistency and one of the stars of the season for Forest in 2019-20.
A spot in the Reds side has been nailed down, along with one in the EFL Championship Team of the Week.
The 22-year-old has made no secret of the fact that he is very much learning on the job.
He can, however, lean on others for important nuggets of advice.
Including Darikwa.
Wisdom
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The Nottingham-born Zimbabwe international has told The Post of Cash: “Early on in the season he was asking me for a bit of advice, because it’s a new position for him.
“If he ever needs any advice, I’m here. He’s mentioned it to me a few times, with a few bits and bobs.”
Words of wisdom have certainly been heeded.
To the point that Darikwa may struggle to win his place back once he returns to full fitness.
It is refreshing to see him aiding the cause of a man who has become a direct rival.
You would expect nothing less, with everyone at the City Ground required to pull together for the greater good.
Cash is benefitting from that mentality, with the faith shown in him being rewarded in spades.
Darikwa could be an unfortunate victim of that success, but will hope that experience remains an ace up his sleeve once the day comes to stop directing a colleague and actually compete with him.
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