Tarky stakes major claim

Photo: PICTURE: DARREN ROBINSON.

FIGHTING FIT: Athletic defender James Tarkowski, in training at Chapel Road.

NOBODY has worked quite so hard during pre-season as James Tarkowski.

It was inevitable he would start Athletic’s pre-season run of games as first-choice centre-back alongside Jean-Yves Mvoto.

What wasn’t certain was that he would nail down his status as a first-choice name.

Manager Paul Dickov may have originally been hoping to find a new central defender to give the calm 19 year old some time in the team as a sub.

But Dickov feels there is simply no need to give ‘Tarky’ a rest when he is playing so well, with a high fitness levels.

“I am feeling good,” said Tarkowski, who arguably shines as the club’s brightest prospect.

“The gaffer is just trying to get my fitness as high as he can.

“This is the first time I have done a full pre-season. Hopefully I can get this next week out of the way and then start concentrating on playing games.”

Some expected last term to be the season in which Tarkowski would break through.

But a struggle for fitness was added to by mistakes at crucial times

Entering the second year of his first professional deal, you will struggle to find anyone who doesn’t agree that Tarkowski looks a more complete player.








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