Clark relishing chance to stake his claim

CIARAN CLARK’S career has snowballed so rapidly this season that even the Aston Villa man’s disappointments bear testimony to his progress.

Yes, his club may be looking over its shoulder nervously at a possible relegation dogfight but at least the 21-year-old will be one of those intimately involved in the scrap having added 25 appearances to the solitary one to his name as of last August.

It’s been a similar story at international level where, despite only recently arriving on the scene, he could count himself unlucky not to have started against Macedonia last Saturday given he offered cover at both left-back and centre-half where vacancies had arose.

As is his wont, Giovanni Trapattoni sided with the greater experience provided by Kevin Kilbane and, to a lesser extent, Darren O’Dea at the weekend but Clark will add to his sole cap, earned against Wales, when he wears the number three shirt tonight.

“I thought it was a good game,” he said of that 3-0 win against Gary Speed’s side last February. “I think we deserved to win that game. I thought it was a good game for me to come in and make my debut.

“Maybe they weren’t as talented as what Uruguay are going to be. I’m sure it will be a tougher game (tonight) but you can only play what’s in front of you and I’m sure all of the lads will be looking forward to it.”

Luis Suarez may be absent but, with someone of Diego Forlan’s calibre knocking around his patch this evening, Clark would be entitled to take a second at some stage of proceedings just to get a grasp of how far he has come.

“Yeah, at the start of the season, I wouldn’t have expected to be where I am now, after my last season. I didn’t really get many opportunities to show what I can do. Fortunately this year I’ve been given a chance.

“First of all by Kevin MacDonald who took over in charge and then by the new boss Gerard Houllier. They’ve all been great to me and the rest of the young lads at Villa. They’ve just given us our chance and we’re all grateful for that.”

MacDonald is better known on these shores for his role as Steve Staunton’s deputy during the Louthman’s disastrous stint in charge but he has been instrumental in guiding the likes of Clark, Marc Albrighton and others into the first team.

The future may well be bright but the more immediate concern for the Birmingham club is their precarious 14th position in the Premier League table, just one point above the drop zone after three straight defeats and a run of five points from their last seven games.

Worried? “If you look at the table I’m sure you could say that about a lot of teams. It’s so tight down there at the minute, a couple of wins and you’re back in the top half and a couple of defeats and you’re back into the bottom half.

“It’s really tight there at the minute and we’ll be sticking it out. We’re a good side, a good team and we’ve got good players. We’ll stick together no matter what and I’m sure we’ll be able to boost ourselves up the league.”

A classy and composed player, Clark has operated on all lines of the pitch on his way up through the Villa ranks where he has been moulded since the age of 11 but he clearly still has much to learn.

Nine yellow cards to date this season are indicative of that but his potential is undeniable and the four goals he has racked up this campaign – including an equaliser at Stamford Bridge — are in keeping with a man who some believe will spend most of his career in the engine room.

That would certainly suit his country given Ireland’s dearth of central midfielders and it is tempting to look ahead a few years into the future to a time when Clark and James McCarthy might pull the strings for Ireland in that department.

First things first. He will earn his second cap at left-back tonight in a game which may not amount to much in itself but which nevertheless offers up-and-comers the opportunity to audition for some stage time in Skopje come June. “As each season progresses, hopefully I’ll learn each game. Richard (Dunne) is out of the next game. There is a place there for someone to grab and I’m sure the lads will be trying their best from now until the end of the season.”