Chelsea defender Tomas Kalas, currently on loan with Fulham, insists that a defender needs all the possible attributes to succeed in the Championship.

The 23-year-old, who spent last season on loan with Middlesbrough, joined the Cottagers on a season-long loan move during summer.

When asked about the qualities needed in a Championship defender, he told Chelsea's official website: "Everything.

"It depends on how your team are playing. We are playing more football and so I need to be calm on the ball and use it well.

"When you are playing against a team who are just kicking long balls, as many teams do in the Championship because they have strong players up front who can hold the ball up, you have to be strong as well. There's no doubt about it.

"It's a mix of everything as a defender. You can't be slow as a central defender because some strikers are fast, so you have to be fast as well. You can't really focus on one thing.

You can be strong but if it takes two weeks for you to turn then it's difficult because a player will be past you and shooting while you are still turning. Everything has to be balanced."