Gardner has been used mainly on the right wing since joining Blues from Villa in January, but his preferred position is in the middle of the park. The 23-year-old currently has Lee Bowyer and Barry Ferguson ahead of him, however, and McLeish believes he should be happy just to be in the side. "Craig's versatile and I know Martin O'Neill liked him because of that," he told the Birmingham Mail. "He would prefer to play through the middle of midfield but he has got to be patient just now and getting into the team is the first priority. "But if that opportunity arises, to play in the centre, it's like with every other player - you throw the gauntlet down and say 'it's up to you'. "If players play better than their competitor, then they are likely to play more often than the other player."
