Ciaran Clark - now gone

[villabear]

Sorry Clark lot Clarke before the typo backlash!

[Villa in Denmark]

Sorry Clark lot Clarke before the typo backlash!

In before the rant😉

[PeterWithe]

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!! 

He's young in himself, he's a very young 25.

[Chico Hamilton III]

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!! 

He's young in himself, he's a very young 25.

He's a very old 25 years and 11 months. And, for what it's worth, his uncle is a really friendly bloke. And he's an English Irish international.

[paul_e]

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

He's both, he was born in England to Irish parents.  He's played age group football for England before deciding to go with Ireland at senior level.

[JUAN PABLO]

Great news

Wasn't sure about him a season ago but thought he was really good last season , he really improved.

[PGW]

I like the lad...did well last season. I'm chuffed to bits for him.

[john e]

at the risk of sounding really foolish and here goes - I don't think there is a lot between Clark and Cahill

if Cahill had spent a couple of seasons leaning about the game surrounded by an inexperienced back 4
 he would have looked dangerously ropey at times like Clark
the same as if Clark had played along side John Terry (who everyone dislikes including me but is head and shoulders the best CH in the prem ) he would look pretty solid like Cahill

so there you go, you can all laugh at me now

[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

He's both, he was born in England to Irish parents.  He's played age group football for England before deciding to go with Ireland at senior level.

The point about his nationality is in reference to how "English" players (players who have declared for England) are often overvalued. For example if Raheem Sterling was English but had chosen through a family link to play for Ireland he wouldn't have been 49m. In a similar vein, if Jack Grealish chooses England and not Ireland, and has a fabulous season, then his value would far exceed what it would be had he declared for Ireland instead.

[Monty]

So how expensive would Gareth Bale have been were he English?

[Toronto Villa]

So how expensive would Gareth Bale have been were he English?

Good question, but with Bale, he is simply an outstanding world class level talent ensuring he ended up at a club like Real Madrid.  It's the good players that English clubs overpay for that is baffling. Not saying Sterling isn't good, or Stones but the prices being quoted or even paid are nuts. Who's that Man City bought from Fulham the other day?

[paul_e]

So how expensive would Gareth Bale have been were he English?

Good question, but with Bale, he is simply an outstanding world class level talent ensuring he ended up at a club like Real Madrid.  It's the good players that English clubs overpay for that is baffling. Not saying Sterling isn't good, or Stones but the prices being quoted or even paid are nuts. Who's that Man City bought from Fulham the other day?

I agree on the point to an extent, the difference in value between Stones and Amavi serves as proof of that and it happens because of the constant calling for 'experience of this league'.  I'm not convinced that Clark with a few England caps is worth significantly more than he is currently though because he has that experience.

[Toronto Villa]

So how expensive would Gareth Bale have been were he English?

Good question, but with Bale, he is simply an outstanding world class level talent ensuring he ended up at a club like Real Madrid.  It's the good players that English clubs overpay for that is baffling. Not saying Sterling isn't good, or Stones but the prices being quoted or even paid are nuts. Who's that Man City bought from Fulham the other day?

I agree on the point to an extent, the difference in value between Stones and Amavi serves as proof of that and it happens because of the constant calling for 'experience of this league'.  I'm not convinced that Clark with a few England caps is worth significantly more than he is currently though because he has that experience.

I think a better example is Amavi vs Luke Shaw. Or Amavi vs that kid Arsenal signed from Southampton. Would either have been valued to that level had they been another nationality?

[Dave]

So how expensive would Gareth Bale have been were he English?

Good question, but with Bale, he is simply an outstanding world class level talent ensuring he ended up at a club like Real Madrid.  It's the good players that English clubs overpay for that is baffling. Not saying Sterling isn't good, or Stones but the prices being quoted or even paid are nuts. Who's that Man City bought from Fulham the other day?

I agree on the point to an extent, the difference in value between Stones and Amavi serves as proof of that and it happens because of the constant calling for 'experience of this league'.  I'm not convinced that Clark with a few England caps is worth significantly more than he is currently though because he has that experience.

I think a better example is Amavi vs Luke Shaw. Or Amavi vs that kid Arsenal signed from Southampton. Would either have been valued to that level had they been another nationality?

If Amavi had come through the Southampton youth system and had a couple of seasons playing in the Premier League then I don't think his French-ness wouldn't stop his transfer fee being higher than what we paid.

Would Schneiderlin have cost more than the £25m that Man Utd paid had he been English rather than French? Or perhaps more to the point, if they'd bought Schneiderlin from Lyon would they be paying £25m for him, or more likely the £7-8m that we're paying for Ligue 1 players. If it's the latter, that suggests that the price is warped by where their football is played rather than their nationality.

Obviously this is all conjecture, but it's not their innate English-ness that people are playing for, it's the experience they have of English football and the systems that go with it. It just so happens that there are more English players than French players in the youth teams of English sides.

[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. 

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.

To be honest, I think his positional sense and ability on the ball have always been there, but he was lacking physicality and was easily pushed around.  I thought he had more of a physical edge last season and I said in an earlier post, you could see him growing in stature by the game.  I remember late in one game last season when we were holding onto a lead and Benteke repeatedly did not close the keeper down and let him come out with the ball and kick deep into our half.  Clark ran half the pitch to tear a strip off Benteke which I thought showed how much he had come on in terms of leadership.