Jack Clarke

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I just don't get it.

Are other clubs fans as negative as our lot?
He's just unfortunate, he signed at an ideal time to be utilised as a pawn between The Levyites and the Poch sympathizers, pro-Poch almost seem to want him to fail as somehow it proves them right about something???
 

Jack Clarke is both rusty and on a steep learning curve. The Tottenham attacker, now on loan at Queens Park Rangers, has the ability to cut it at the top according to Mark Warburton but the FA Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday offered a bristling reminder of how raw the 19-year-old really is.

Clarke had featured just once off the bench in the Championship at Leeds United this season, along with two Carabao Cup appearances in which he was substituted.

Left to stew in the Under-23s, he was recalled early from his temporary spell at the club he had broken through at as a permanent signing 12 months ago because, as Jose Mourinho said at the beginning of the month, the teenager needs to be getting minutes.

QPR and Warburton have promised that but, in his first start since August, Clarke was unconvincing and at fault for Wednesday’s opening goal.

“He hasn’t been playing games and that’s why Spurs brought him back, but he’s a £15million player and he has got to adapt to it. He’s a boy. There is no doubt he will adapt to the level but he is a talented player. There is no doubt about his quality.”

On the right wing in Warbuton's 4-1-4-1 last night, supply was not exactly plentiful during a low-quality opening half but what will stand out most was the careless manner in which he allowed the Owls’ left back Morgan Fox to break free from a throw-in.

“He was bitterly disappointed to give the goal away,” Warburton said.

It was entirely avoidable and the product of poor concentration. Sam Hutchinson had spotted Fox running into the box untracked, threw the ball to him and by the time Clarke had become alert to Fox’s movement he had shot low past unconvincing Rs goalkeeper Joe Lumley.

“Just track your runner,” Warburton added. “It was a soft goal. Just mark your man, just mark your man. It was a lack of concentration. You can’t do that at this level or you’ll get punished.”

That aside there were moments where Clarke appeared overly reliant on his right foot. A minute before Fox's goal, he was in a promising position down the inside right channel but instead of nudging the ball on to his left he decided to turn around. He subsequently lost possession and Wednesday’s break led to that throw-in.


On the upside his head did not drop and he worked hard to try and find a route back into the game for the West Londoners. Despite his willingness, little seemed to come off though.
There were a handful of audible groans as he took a heavy touch when dribbling down the right just after the hour mark and spurned an opportunity to cross. His face painted a picture of frustration – not at the understandable reaction from the stands but his own sloppiness.

He was still applauded off when replaced by the far more threatening Bright Osayi-Samuel after 65 minutes of a tough audition but ultimately a night that he will have learnt from.

Brighter days will come soon but for Clarke’s full potential to be realised, especially if he is to make it under Mourinho, such defensive doziness must not be repeated.
 
Some comments from a QPR forum about his sub appearance on Saturday:

"Our 2 potential superstars BOS and Eze were very poor, with Ezes reluctance to move his #### costing us the first goal, today Eze really should have been dragged off for lack of effort, Jack Clarke produced more in 10 minutes than Eze did in 90.
20 million, on his last 5 or 6 games u must be joking.

We are short of options however Clarke’s 10 minute cameo gives me hope, put in 2 fabulous crossed that deserved to be buried."

"Clark did look good for the 10 he was on. Looked comfortable and able to dribble past defenders, also put in a few good balls. Will be interesting to see him play for longer, could add an extra attacking threat coming from the left."
 
So what do you guys think the plan is for Clarke next season, straight back out on a loan or keep him at Hotspur Way for a bit?

Personally I think he could do with a spell at the club, get him training and integrated with the first team so he feels like he is a Spurs player. Make sure he gets minutes with the U23s as well and then look at a loan in January unless he really impresses. Surely he would get a more attractive loan if he has a good half season with our U23s?
 
I'd be fine with him getting minutes in Champo or even league one or two.

If he is going to be a great player for us he needs minutes.

Adding to that the lower league clubs are going to be skint so it is better that he does the hard yards for a club that can't afford him than play in our youth team.

I have quite enjoyed following Jack Roles at Cambridge Utd this season.
 
Bring him back home and into the club to have some time with the First Team and our back room staff. He needs to feel properly at home for a bit. Poor guy is being shafted around by crap clubs.
 
I'm afraid there is a reason for that.

The lad hasn't started one single match in the Championship this season.
He’s got talent though. All his managers agree with that. Being loaned out to lower league clubs works for some, not for others. Kane had a mare at most of his. I just think that, right now, Clarke needs a bit of focus and love to help him mentally. Loan clubs don’t give a shit about the person as he’s not their player. Mou and co. can help him better IMHO.
 
He’s got talent though. All his managers agree with that. Being loaned out to lower league clubs works for some, not for others. Kane had a mare at most of his. I just think that, right now, Clarke needs a bit of focus and love to help him mentally. Loan clubs don’t give a shit about the person as he’s not their player. Mou and co. can help him better IMHO.
He won't play a single minute under Jose either and I doubt whether Jose would care much about him, I think we need to find a team next season where he can finally get some regular game time, even if that's a decent League One side or for instance Willem II in the Eredivisie. And see where he goes from there.
 
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Jose obviously cares but knows the kid needs first team football, it was spoken about before he went to QPR ('frustration loan' wrt. Leeds).

If he can't force his way into Championship sides, he's hardly going to be knocking on the first team door unless he miraculously turns into Messi before preseason.

Another loan to a Championship club or a lesser Premier League side, but it's only worthwhile if he plays and that's as much down to the player as the club he ends up at IMO.
 
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