Ciaran Clark - now gone

[kippaxvilla2]

Quote from Clark

“Everyone is looking forward to the new season and I’m delighted to be going into the opening game on Saturday knowing my long-term future has been sorted.”

Means he's off to Citeh..........

[Ryu]

Excellent news. Prior to his injury he was really developing into a very solid and brave CB. If he was English he'd be worth a lot more than he is considering the numbers being thrown about for Stones. We still need some competition in that area of the squad but locking down Clark was very important.

Clark is English

He's not worth as much as Stones as hes been part of a defence that's been rubbish for years. And he's a few years older.

When Clark first came on the scene I really thought we had a top player on our hands. Playing in midfield under Houllier, showing great composure on the ball and getting goals, he looked like the complete modern centre half. Since then he didnt progress as quickly as I'd hoped, of at all. But when you look at the state of the team and club since then you can see why it's been hard for him.  In the second half of last season he was our best defender and IMO showed better and more consistent form than Vlaar at any point in his Villa career. I'm glad he's signed and hope he can become  the player I thought he might be.

[old man villa fan]

Personally I think it's a pretty sad state of affairs in defence if we're celebrating Clark getting a new deal. If we were a half decent side, or had any decent defenders then Clark would struggle to get in the side, let alone a new deal on better terms.

i

Agree with this. He's one of players I'd like to have seen got rid of this summer not sign up for a new long term deal. Perhaps he's been signed up so we can ask for a higher transfer fee in the near future, but either way he's not good enough if we want to improve as a team.

Perhaps he will improve as the team improves.

[simon ward 50]

Central defenders don't usually mature until they are 27/28. So potentially we have tied down Clark for the best years of his career.

[tomd2103]

Sorry but that's nonsense. We've tied one of our better young players to a long term deal. It's hardly a celebration where we've all got the bunting out. The only downside to this is that it permits 5 more years of some people spelling his last name incorrectly.

And at least a few more years of people saying he is a young player.  He's 26 next month!! 

[Villa in Denmark]

Personally I think it's a pretty sad state of affairs in defence if we're celebrating Clark getting a new deal. If we were a half decent side, or had any decent defenders then Clark would struggle to get in the side, let alone a new deal on better terms.

i

Agree with this. He's one of players I'd like to have seen got rid of this summer not sign up for a new long term deal. Perhaps he's been signed up so we can ask for a higher transfer fee in the near future, but either way he's not good enough if we want to improve as a team.

Well there's a surprise.

Maybe we should have given him away and then signed him up for £7 or 8M on £70K per week, as that seems to be your only marker for whether someone is good enough or not.

No analysis of whether some of his displays have been cause or symptom of our problems.
No acknowledgment of the fact that the run of games where he was paired with Okore (another player you can't stop deriding) was the one time last year it looked like we'd got a defence worthy of the name.

Still, could be worse, you could be scouting for us.

[tomd2103]

It is nonsense.  Clark has showed continual improvement year on year. This season we should hopefully see some real benefit from his increased experience in his role. I wasn't bothered about Baker penning a new deal but Clark, yes, there's a very good player to evolve soon I feel.

Disagree somewhat mate.  Up until last season, I thought Clark was regressing year on year from the initial potential he showed.  I thought last year, however, was a real breakthrough year for him and it finally came together for him.  You could literally see him grow in confidence and stature.  He now needs to build on that and become a regular for both club and country. 

[Clampy]

I think he's improved over the past year. He did look decent alongside Okore and whilst I think we do need to being somebody else in as well, i'm happy enough for him to stay and improve.

[Dave Cooper please]

Personally I think it's a pretty sad state of affairs in defence if we're celebrating Clark getting a new deal. If we were a half decent side, or had any decent defenders then Clark would struggle to get in the side, let alone a new deal on better terms.

i

Agree with this. He's one of players I'd like to have seen got rid of this summer not sign up for a new long term deal. Perhaps he's been signed up so we can ask for a higher transfer fee in the near future, but either way he's not good enough if we want to improve as a team.

You are both wrong (err...FACT, END OF) and Clark will show you just how excellent a defender he is this season. You can quote this back at me after a couple of months if you like but you won't because on this one I am right!

[Dante Lavelli]

The fact he has signed before we become too reliant on him means that his wages will not be too crazy too.  Or alternatively, if he does not improve, he is not on Beye type wages so we should shift him if we need to.

[CorkVilla]

John O'Shea will almost certainly retire when Ireland fail to qualify for Euro 16 so there's a real opportunity there for Clark to become an international regular, maybe even captain once Robbie Keane retires. Then again Martin O'Neill is their manager so he could end up playing second fiddle to Paul McShane. It's going to be an interesting season or two ahead for him.

[Brend'Watkins]

It is nonsense.  Clark has showed continual improvement year on year. This season we should hopefully see some real benefit from his increased experience in his role. I wasn't bothered about Baker penning a new deal but Clark, yes, there's a very good player to evolve soon I feel.

Disagree somewhat mate.  Up until last season, I thought Clark was regressing year on year from the initial potential he showed.  I thought last year, however, was a real breakthrough year for him and it finally came together for him.  You could literally see him grow in confidence and stature.  He now needs to build on that and become a regular for both club and country. 

Along side Baker I'll admit he did look like he'd regressed. Generally though I'd say he's improved year on year.  Even if to some his football hasn't improved I'd still say his positional sense due to more experience has made him look that bit better.

[Risso]

Worth it for that tackle on the Leicester player alone.

[Toronto Villa]

Excellent news. Prior to his injury he was really developing into a very solid and brave CB. If he was English he'd be worth a lot more than he is considering the numbers being thrown about for Stones. We still need some competition in that area of the squad but locking down Clark was very important.

Clark is English

He's Irish

[villabear]

The picture of Clarke signing and Baker the other day look like their signing in a headmasters office.