Jonson aims for more

Jonson Clarke-Harris: keen for a place in under 21s national team

THE DECISION to turn down Premier League overtures and instead join Athletic proved to be a positive one for Jonson Clarke-Harris.

The Leicester-born striker opted for Boundary Park over a potential switch to the under-21s set-ups at Stoke and Blackburn. In doing so, the teenager ended up playing a crucial role in steering the club away from the drop zone this season.

“I think it’s gone all right,” he said. “I set myself targets to start 25 games and to score 10 goals.

“I have done one of them in starting 30 times. I’m pretty pleased, but I would have been a lot happier if I had got the extra two goals.

“It’s definitely something for me to build on. I know League One now and I have a year’s experience, so I think I’ll do well next season.”

Having seen a vast improvement in his game over the course of the campaign, ‘Jonno’ knows he is by no means the finished article and still has a lot of work to do.

“My fitness has improved and I’m starting to understand the game a little bit more,” added the striker.

“There’s still a lot of things I need to work on. The answer is to work hard, I guess.

“I can definitely improve my diet. It has not been the best this year, but I’m only 19 and I have got to learn these things.”

Jonno aspires to be as good as his icon Adriano, the former Inter Milan and Brazil forward. He sees it as a realistic target.

“He’s a big, powerful striker who is strong and has a wicked left foot. That’s the player I see myself being,” he said.

I was taken by surprise when he named me as a big influence on him during the season.

“As an experienced striker who has been around the game for years, you have helped me in situations I

didn’t know about,” Jonno said. “And there’s Tommy Wright too. I think he controls me more than the gaffer does!”

After signing a new contract in February and being rewarded by winning the club’s young player of the year award last week, the teenager is proud of his progress.

“It makes me feel really great,” he said. “Achieving what I have this year, it just makes me want to go and get more now. Every time I step on the pitch I work hard. If I don’t score or am having a bad game, then as long as I’m working hard it sort of balances out.”

Having declined a call up to the Republic of Ireland under-21s squad this year, Jonno is determined to achieve his ultimate goal: playing for England in the near future.

“I want to get a call to the England under-21 squad - maybe next year or the year after. That’s my biggest goal at the moment.

“I got a call to the Republic of Ireland under-21s this year, but I want to chase my dream to represent my country, England. I thought about it, because my dad’s half Irish. But I’m English.”

But for now Jonno is going away to recharge get ready to hit the ground running for pre-season training.

“I’m going to relax for about four weeks then get in the gym, do my running and cardio and get back into it,” he added.