Team-man Tarky vital to the cause

COMMANDING PRESENCE: James Tarkowski has developed into Athletic’s most reliable defender.

IN EXAMINING his own performance as Athletic manager this season, Lee Johnson admits he has so far come up “short of a pass mark”.

Tomorrow’s clash with Bristol City represents the club’s 15th fixture of the season - the watermark at which he asked to be judged.

Johnson’s critical eye has it that a record of four wins, two draws and eight defeats does not put him at the top of the class.

But ahead of his return to Ashton Gate - where he spent six successful years - he emphasised his belief that improvement towards an ‘A’ grade will happen.

“I want to be challenging, of course I do,” said Johnson. “There has to be a bit of realism in there, sometimes when it comes to injuries affecting your best players in a small squad.

“I am disappointed. If it was a school report, it would be a ‘C’ — could do better. All of us have to do better.

“Because this great town deserves to be successful, I want to be the man to deliver that success and I will be, given the support.”

One player who has exceeded his predicted grade this season is James Tarkowski. It is rare for any manager to guarantee a player a spot in the team, but Johnson made it clear the 20-year-old defender will definitely come straight back in this weekend. after suspension.

Tarkowski’s importance as a central figure in Athletic’s defence shows in the statistics. Without him, the team concedes an average of three goals a game.

His commitment to the cause led to him going over and above the call of duty at Meadow Lane this week, Johnson revealed.

“He came along to Notts County, which he didn’t have to. He wants to be a leader; he was rallying the troops at half-time as well. That’s why he’s a class act. That’s why he comes straight back in.”

Johnson is keen that the slightly older generation of youth team graduates — David Mellor, Carl Winchester and Kirk Millar, all starters at Meadow Lane — take a leaf out of Tarkowski’s self-help manual.

“He still has loads to learn, but he is on the right trail, definitely. You can sum it up by saying that every day, he tries to be better than he was yesterday. That is the key to it.”