Canny, apart from the typical doom-mongering headline:
Mike Dodds makes stark admission over ankle injury victim Jack Clarke
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/resources/images/17292906.jpg?type=mds-article-962
By Scott Wilson
MIKE DODDS has admitted there is no like-for-like replacement for Jack Clarke within the current Sunderland squad – and is hoping the Black Cats’ attacking talisman will be available for this weekend’s game at Norwich City…..
“I won’t allow Jack to be used as an excuse,” said Dodds. “Jack is not just a good player for us, he's probably the best player in the league.
“We're talking about one of the best players in the league, so you are never replacing Jack Clarke. But one thing I will say, and I think this is really important, when Jack Clarke came to the football club, he wasn't the Jack Clarke he is now. I think that's an important message.
“We have to make sure that message is really clear with Romaine (Mundle), Abdoullah, Naz. I appreciate there will be frustration among the fans and I wish I could fast forward time, but Jack Clarke when he came to the club wasn't the Jack Clarke he is now.
“That's a really important message people need to, not understand because they're fans and want to win games of football, but from where I'm sitting, we have to make sure we work with the other players to get another Jack Clarke.”
In the shorter term, Dodds is hoping Clarke will be able to resume training this week with the aim of being able to feature in Saturday’s game at Carrow Road. The winger was due to be reassessed this morning, with Dodds continuing to hope his ankle issue is not too severe.
“That’s what I’ve been told,” said the Sunderland boss “He's raring to go. He's a robust boy, since he's come in, he's hardly missed any football. He rarely misses training, hence the reason we thought he'd be available (for the Swansea game), but for whatever reason, that hasn't happened.”
Mike Dodds makes stark admission over ankle injury victim Jack Clarke
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/resources/images/17292906.jpg?type=mds-article-962
By Scott Wilson
MIKE DODDS has admitted there is no like-for-like replacement for Jack Clarke within the current Sunderland squad – and is hoping the Black Cats’ attacking talisman will be available for this weekend’s game at Norwich City…..
“I won’t allow Jack to be used as an excuse,” said Dodds. “Jack is not just a good player for us, he's probably the best player in the league.
“We're talking about one of the best players in the league, so you are never replacing Jack Clarke. But one thing I will say, and I think this is really important, when Jack Clarke came to the football club, he wasn't the Jack Clarke he is now. I think that's an important message.
“We have to make sure that message is really clear with Romaine (Mundle), Abdoullah, Naz. I appreciate there will be frustration among the fans and I wish I could fast forward time, but Jack Clarke when he came to the club wasn't the Jack Clarke he is now.
“That's a really important message people need to, not understand because they're fans and want to win games of football, but from where I'm sitting, we have to make sure we work with the other players to get another Jack Clarke.”
In the shorter term, Dodds is hoping Clarke will be able to resume training this week with the aim of being able to feature in Saturday’s game at Carrow Road. The winger was due to be reassessed this morning, with Dodds continuing to hope his ankle issue is not too severe.
“That’s what I’ve been told,” said the Sunderland boss “He's raring to go. He's a robust boy, since he's come in, he's hardly missed any football. He rarely misses training, hence the reason we thought he'd be available (for the Swansea game), but for whatever reason, that hasn't happened.”
