The gaffer has chatted about the transfer interest around Jack Clarke over the summer, but claims the winger is happy to be playing for Sunderland and inflicting damage on teams by being one of our star players each week.
MORE END PRODUCT
“Jack was brilliant last year, he had more than 20 goals and assists off the left wing. The work has been about getting him in the box. His goal last time out where he scores with a one-touch header at the back stick, a year ago he would probably still be stuck on the left wing, waiting for the team to transfer the ball out to his feet."
GOALSCORING WINGER
"He is getting in goalscoring areas now, he is understanding that he has to score as well as create. He has got his confidence."
TRANSFER CRAIC
"There were big bids in for him in the summer, the club decided, in my opinion, that they weren’t right, so here he is. He is not sulking, he is not upset that he didn’t go to the Premier League because the club didn’t think the fee was right."
ENJOYS BEING DANGEROUS
“I think he enjoys playing with these lads, knowing he is an important player for us and he is an eliminator. I just want him to take people on. He can go inside, outside, he’s fast but he’s also tricky. He can bend them into the top corner, he can clip them to the backstick. In my year here, him and (Patrick) Roberts have been real eliminators and damagers of teams.”
CAN'T HANDLE HIM
“What does Smyth do with him? Does he stay high like he wants to or does he have to worry about these two players that are standing right out there? Generally, you get pushed back into a five and he has to go back, so he stays away from where he is really good and damaging us because he is thinking about the wide player.”
