Dickov has faith in Tarky

JAMES TARKOWSKI (right) . . . gaining valuable experience.

JAMES Tarkowski will continue as Athletic’s primary centre-back cover, having been handed a big rap by his manager Paul Dickov.

The 18-year-old ball-playing defender was in the first-team squad for the first time last week and took in the experience of an overnight stay before sitting on the bench at Plymouth.

The scholar prospect’s elevation coincided with Jason Jarrett’s six-month contract not being renewed.

And with Jean-Yves Mvoto returning to Sunderland because of injury, ‘Tarky’ appears to be next in line when it comes to staking a claim for a place in the back four in the event of injury to either captain Reuben Hazell or Neal Trotman.

“Young Tarky has done magnificently for the reserves and has come on so much since the start of the season,” said Dickov, who is aiming for a back-to-back npower League One double tomorrow at home to Brentford after winning 3-1 at Griffin Park earlier this season.

“I have shown that if they (young players) are doing well then I will get them involved.

“We can now promote him into the first-team squad and get him around the senior players.

“We believe that if he is needed, he will act as good cover and he will benefit from the experience.”

Up-and-down post-Christmas form has seen Athletic lose three times — conceding 12 goals in those games — while also keeping two clean sheets in a pair of victories.

Consistency is now key in chasing the sort of results which will lead the team into one of the play-off places.

“What we need to do now is put the Plymouth performance to bed as well as we did the Southampton one (Athletic lost 6-0),” Dickov added.

“We need to concentrate on where we want to go and what we are going to do — starting with Brentford.

“They have got dangers all over the pitch and play some good attacking stuff.

“We need a solid, professional performance as a starting point and when we have that, we cause teams problems.”

Depending on how negotiations progress, Leeds United winger Aidan White could be back on loan in time for tomorrow’s game.

“We are hopeful Aidy will be back and in the squad for Brentford,” said Dickov.

“It is a deal that will get done, it is just a matter of when.”




ATHLETIC are appealing for volunteers to help remove covers from the Boundary Park playing surface tomorrow.
The pitch has been covered since midweek in preparation for the visit of Brentford, and chief executive Alan Hardy is asking helpers to arrive at 8.30am.

He said: “The process should only take a couple of hours.”

Hardy insisted the npower League One match is not in doubt, adding: “If the covers have kept the frost out, we should be alright.”