‘He doesn’t particularly play with a big No.9, it’s all mobile and fluid’
FORMER SKY BLUES HEAD OF RECRUITMENT ON EXIT OF GOAL ACE CLARKE-HARRIS
THE man responsible for signing Jonson Clarke-Harris at Coventry City has explained his sudden departure in last season’s January transfer window.
Former head of recruitment Tommy Widdrington recommended the big No.9 to Mark Robins who, just six months into his permanent deal with the club, let him go for free to League One rivals Bristol Rovers.
Clarke-Harris had scored six goals at the start of the 2018/19 campaign but, much to the shock of many a Sky Blues fan, hit a rich vein of form, rattling in 11 in 17 games for The Gas.
He’s continued that into this season, having scored nine in 15 in all competitions so far to ensure he remains Rovers’ biggest asset as we approach the mid-term window again.
Here Widdrington explains exactly why his former boss Robins let the centre-forward leave and why he couldn’t wait to snap him up for a second time once he’d joined Bristol Rovers himself.
“Let’s look at Graham Coughlan’s first window,” he said, talking about his current manager.
“He didn’t have any time to do any scouting but I had already done the scouting, so when he said, ‘I need a big, strong No.9,’ guess who comes in?
“Obviously I had signed the guy (Jonson Clarke-Harris) at the previous club for the same reason, and people had said to me, ‘why did you sign him for Coventry?’
“He went to Coventry for a free transfer, he came here for a free transfer and now he’s the biggest asset the club has.
“People don’t realise he’s only just 25.
“He’s been given a chance and Graham has done a great job with him in terms of the role he’s given him in the side and he’s complementing him with the people around him and Jonno has fed off that.”
Asked if he feels Clarke-Harris has exceeded expectations, Widdrington said: “I wouldn’t use that. I think there’s more to come from him.
“Graham’s alluded to it on occasions that he’s never had him at 100% fit.
“If you’ve got him at whatever percentage he is fit and his output is as it’s been over the last 12 months, you’ve got to be a bit more excited about what might come.”
As for why Mark Robins let him go, Widdrington revealed: “Mark’s view of a forward in League One would be different from what he wanted from
Jonno in League Two. We only signed one player for any fee at Coventry, the big No.9 out of non-league (Max Biamou).
“He was doing ever so well but he got a bad injury and we needed a big No.9 to cover down the end of the season and Jonno did that.
“It worked for Mark in League Two but Mark’s vision of how he plays football – you see it at Coventry this season – he doesn’t particularly play with a big No.9, it’s all mobile and fluid.
“And that’s not detrimental to Jonno, it’s Mark’s vision of how he wants to play in League One.”
He added: “Recruitment is fluid.
“The person you sign in January, you might need them in the summer.
“I always say, managers will recruit for now but I’ve got to recruit for now and the future.”