Ciaran Clark D Free agent b.1989

**Murfinator** · 15/09/2012, 11:39 PM

Was singled out on Sky Sports for a great performance, villa talk not saying much about him praising his partner instead (http://www.villatalk.com/index.php?n...=73575&start=0) but a clean sheet is at least a solid performance which is good to see.

Playing consistently and in one position can only be of benefit to him.

**SolitudeRed** · 04/10/2012, 6:56 PM

Heard a brief snippet of an interview with Ciaran Clark on Today FM on the way home from work he was saying that he was committed to Ireland and would never turn down a call up despite being out in the cold for a while now so fair play to him for being a bit more mature about it. Maybe Trap does not rate him? or is it more of a disciplinary issue? Its a shame he didn't get a call up for the last friendly given that he is getting a run of games with Villa at the moment which will hopefully aid his development.

**paul_oshea** · 04/10/2012, 7:08 PM

trap sees him as a midfielder or full back probably....

**Charlie Darwin** · 04/10/2012, 7:13 PM

If Trap saw him as a full back or a midfielder he'd probably have called him up for the last squad. I just think Trap reckons he's too impulsive and inexperienced at this stage of career and he'll get a shot at centre half once he shows a bit more maturity in his game. He's already showing maturity in his attitude towards not being picked so I'd imagine it's only a matter of time.

**paul_oshea** · 04/10/2012, 8:10 PM

he played him full back and i thought at the time he made some comment about where he saw him

**Paddy Garcia** · 04/10/2012, 8:26 PM

Something wrong if McShane is in the squad ahead of him though

**Charlie Darwin** · 04/10/2012, 8:34 PM

McShane isn't in the squad as a centre half. He's in the squad to cover right full and centre half in a dire, dire emergency.

I don't remember Trap saying he saw Clark as a full back, but I think he just played him there for the sake of getting a look at his temperament, and he was fairly unimpressed from what I remember. Clark will get better, he is just not disciplined enough to be a Trap player right now. We saw with Ward's foul in Kazakhstan how easily one moment of impatience can lead to a goal.

**IsMiseSean** · 04/10/2012, 9:13 PM

If he stays in the Villa team which I expect he will. Trap might have another look at him against the Greeks

**geysir** · 04/10/2012, 9:51 PM

Afair, way back in Clark's 1st season when he was playing regular at CM, Trap claimed Clark was not a midfielder, that his position was at CH.

At least Clark got a person-to-person phone call from Trap, by standards that means he has a high ranking in Trap's thoughts.

**DannyInvincible** · 05/10/2012, 3:22 PM

Originally Posted by SolitudeRed

or is it more of a disciplinary issue?

As in a falling out with Trap over some indiscretion? I don't think so. There were murmurings in the media about some issue with Clark a while back but I'm not sure upon what they were based. Trap called Clark personally before naming the Euros squad, as far as I know; I doubt he'd have done that if there was some problem between the two.

**BonnieShels** · 05/10/2012, 4:00 PM

Originally Posted by SolitudeRed

Heard a brief snippet of an interview with Ciaran Clark on Today FM on the way home from work he was saying that he was committed to Ireland and would never turn down a call up despite being out in the cold for a while now so fair play to him for being a bit more mature about it. Maybe Trap does not rate him? or is it more of a disciplinary issue? Its a shame he didn't get a call up for the last friendly given that he is getting a run of games with Villa at the moment which will hopefully aid his development.

That was on Off The Ball on Newstalk wasn't it. Thought it was a great interview.

**tetsujin1979** · 05/10/2012, 4:37 PM

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

That was on Off The Ball on Newstalk wasn't it. Thought it was a great interview.

It wasn't bad, but he did try his level best to break the record for saying "y'know" the most in a ten minute interview

**BonnieShels** · 06/10/2012, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

It wasn't bad, but he did try his level best to break the record for saying "y'know" the most in a ten minute interview

I liked when Eoin was pushing him on temptation to declare for England and Clark shut him up.

**tetsujin1979** · 06/10/2012, 1:02 PM

The interview has been podcasted (that's a word right?) here: http://media.newstalk.ie/podcast/67752/popup
Interview starts just after 23 minutes

**mark12345** · 06/10/2012, 8:35 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

We saw with Ward's foul in Kazakhstan how easily one moment of impatience can lead to a goal.

Precisely. So why is Ward in the team ahead of Clark? That's what's wrong with this current set up. You can have as much of a nightmare as you want and you'll still get picked because you have that little bit more experience than the other guy. Poor performances, and Ward has had quite a few, should meet their just reward. But we have a manager who apparently doesn't think that way.

**tricky_colour** · 06/10/2012, 10:23 PM

Trap knows form is temporary class is permanent

**Charlie Darwin** · 06/10/2012, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by mark12345

Precisely. So why is Ward in the team ahead of Clark?

Because Ward is currently better at playing football than Clark. Ward is a technically better footballer who has more pace and, whatever you think of his talent, is well-drilled in full back play, which Clark isn't.

**Manblue** · 07/10/2012, 2:46 PM

Solid first half so far although had little to do. Vlaar next to him has been very good. Clark just a little sloppy in the first 5 maybe.

**Manblue** · 07/10/2012, 3:49 PM

Completely overrun in the second half, the midfield were non existent again...villa will really struggle.

Clark almost gifted spurs a goal in the last min when dispossessed in the middle of the pitch