One former Sunderland player has commented on Jack Clarke’s difficulties in the Premier League and how the Black Cats have adapted without him.
In the summer transfer window, Sunderland decided to sell star winger Jack Clarke to Ipswich Town.
The attacker, who spent three seasons on Wearside after joining initially on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, went on to score 28 and notch 23 assists in all competitions for the Black Cats.
Sunderland’s goalscoring winger was most notably the most dependable attacker in the lacklustre 2023/24 season, bagging 15 across the Championship campaign, which was deemed as enough to earn him a Premier League move.
Unfortunately for Clarke, he is yet to take life in the Premier League into his stride. Ipswich Town fans have been less than pleased with the man yet to notch a single goal, and one former Sunderland star has had his say on the winger as he endures his dry spell with Ipswich Town.
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Former Sunderland man Tommy Miller gives Jack Clarke Ipswich Town verdict
Clarke’s spell at Ipswich Town has been difficult, and this has been highlighted by a fellow Sunderland man.
Tommy Miller, a hardworking midfielder who notched 29 appearances for Sunderland in the 2005/06 Premier League season, also has close ties with Clarke’s club, Ipswich Town, who he played on 211 occasions for the Suffolk-based side.
He has commented on Clarke’s lack of fortunes in the south east, as, per Sunderland Echo, he said: “I don’t think he’s getting enough game-time but that’s down to the manager and he has a big squad. Jack Clarke was a fantastic talent at Sunderland and it was only a matter of time before he got an opportunity to get into the Premier League.
“It hasn’t worked out at the moment and it wouldn’t have surprised me if he’d come back on loan in January or at least gone to another Championship club to get some game-time.”
The former Sunderland man also touched on the impact, or lack of, from a Black Cats perspective.
“If you look at Sunderland, and this is no disrespect to Jack Clarke, they haven’t missed him. They’ve gone from strength-to-strength and they have recruited unbelievably well. He’s had a couple of opportunities but he hasn’t had an extended run.
“I think the way Ipswich play, with the wing-backs bombing forwards, Jack is an out-and-out winger and they play a different system with the two behind the forward very narrow. That doesn’t suit Jack. Kieran McKenna is a fantastic coach and he will try to get that out of Jack Clarke and improve his game but it’s going to be interesting how it pans out.”
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When Clarke departed from Wearside, there were understandably questions from the fanbase as to who would offer a similar goalscoring output, trickery and skill as the former Sunderland man, but as the weeks went on, it was clear that wasn’t to be a concern.
In terms of having a trick winger that possesses great flair and ability in front of goal, Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has managed to replicate Clarke’s performances with Romaine Mundle, who started the season impeccably before his untimely injury.
With Wilson Isidor, Sunderland also has a reliable goalscorer that has succeeded Clarke, only in a more central area. In truth, the departure of Clarke could have been much more detrimental to Sunderland’s season, but the way that Le Bris has got the very best out of the current crop of players deserves immense credit.