Ciaran Clark
Nationality :
English
Date of Birth :
26/09/1989
Height :
6' 2" (188cm)
Squad Number :
21
Weight :
12st 0lbs (76.27kg)
Position :
Defender
Ciaran Clark really made the first team breakthrough in 2010-11 - not only as a superb stopper but also as a goalscorer of some pedigree.
He bagged a brace in the 4-2 defeat against Arsenal, the vital equaliser in the 3-3 draw against Chelsea and also scored in the 3-1 FA Cup win over Blackburn.
One of the major reasons for Clark's flurry of efforts was his versatility, playing in central midfield as well as his accustomed centre-back position.
He certainly didn't look out of place, with crunching tackles, expert passes and glorious goals the natural norm for the 21-year-old.
His selection in the heart of the team may have come about primarily as a result of an injury crisis but he more than held his own in battles against the top-flight's tenacious terriers.
On the international front, the former England U19 captain elected to turn out for the Republic of Ireland after being approached by the FAI as a result of his Irish heritage.
He made his debut against Wales at the Aviva Stadium in February 2011, calling the game one of the finest moments of his young career to date.
Clark, of course, is a former reserves skipper and the classy youngster really led by example for the club's highly successful second string.
Another product of Villa's renowned academy system, he successfully made the step up to first team level with a classy performance on his Villa debut in a 2-0 victory over Fulham in August 2009.
Clark remained with the first team for most of the campaign, making the matchday squad on many occasions.
His second senior appearance came as a substitute in the FA Cup fourth round against Brighton & Hove Albion.
With Kevin MacDonald's elevation to caretaker manager at the start of last season, Clark started the campaign in the 3-0 win over West Ham and also played in the big defeat at Newcastle too.
Gerard Houllier's arrival didn't stop the youngster's progression either, with the Frenchman playing Clark on many occasions during his tenure at the helm.
No comments:
Post a Comment