Sunderland’s Jack Clarke has been a revelation this season, but Tony Mowbray has revealed how he can improve.
Sunderland’s standout player this season has been 22-year-old Jack Clarke, who has nine goals and one assist in 14 games.
The Championship’s September player-of-the-month has impressed and caught the eye.
Despite this, Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray has stated that he expects more from Clarke.
In a recent interview, he mentioned the one thing that could help Clarke improve even more.
Mowbray on Clarke
According to the Northern Echo, Mowbray has shared his thoughts on how Clarke can improve.
“I’ve talked to him about hitting with no backlift,” Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson said.
“If you think of the great Thierry Henry, there’s no backlift, they almost pass, bend it into the far corner. Jack is still taking a swing at it, a lot of his shots get blocked.
“I want him to work on, if you can picture what I’m saying as you’re dribbling you almost don’t break stride and you finish without a backswing, without winding it up because defenders – and I was one – see the wind-up, anticipate the shot, lunge and block. Whereas if Jack is travelling and has no backlift and just passes it into his next stride there’s another goal.
“Hopefully we’ll see that in the season coming and there’ll be lots more of Jack cutting inside, threatening to shoot, another touch then without a backlift he passes it into the far corner.”
How high can Clarke go?
Clarke has been tearing up the division since Sunderland’s return, and Mowbray clearly believes in him.
The manager is hopeful that Clarke will sign a new contract in January, which may deter the several Premier League clubs who are interested.
However, if Clarke continues to dominate the Championship, gaining promotion may be the only way to keep him beyond this season.
He is so good that it would be unfair to keep him in the Championship when he appears to be ready for Premier League action.
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