The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Clarke class hints at a bright future as a number 10
Posh boss Darren Ferguson was pleased with the improvement his team showed.
Posh boss Darren Ferguson is tipping 17 year-old attacking midfielder Flynn Clarke to be this season’s breakthrough star.
And that’s some compliment from Ferguson as Clarke will have to battle with two topclass summer signings in Sammie Szmodics and Ryan Broomtogetagameinhispreferred ‘number 10’ position.
Clarke made his Posh debut i n l ast weekend’s 1- 0 Carabao Cup defeat at home to Cheltenham and started for the first time in Tuesday’s EFLTrophygamewithBurton Albion at the Weston Homes Stadium.
Clarke scored the first goal in a 3-3 draw after just three minutes. The teenage grandson of former Posh and Northern Ireland striker Colin Clarke also nettedfromthe spot as his side claimed an extra point in the group game by winning a penalty shootout 5-4.
“There’s usually one player you don’t really expect who emerges as a surprise package,” Ferguson said.
“Andthisseasonthatcould be Flynn. It won’t be easy for him as we have two excellent players who like to play as a number 10, but he has all the attributes to become a success.
“Flynn has good quality andhe’sstrong. Hewouldhave made his first team debut last season but for an injury.”
Ferguson was far more impressed with the performance against League One Burton than against League Two Cheltenham despite a much stronger side, on paper at least, contesting the Carabao Cup tie.
“I hope that Cheltenham performance was a one-off,” Fergusonadded.“Wewerenowhere near the level of intensity I expect and that shocked meastherewasnosignofthat in our pre-season games.
“Playerswillperformpoorly on occasion, but there is no excuse for not reaching the running stats that we want.
“Youhavetoputinthehard yards in any game of football to win and we didn’t do that against Cheltenham who throughly deserved to beat us. I just hope we have got the bad performance out of the way already.
“It was much more like us against Burton. Indeed for 30 minutes wewereexceptional, but a bit of naivety just before half-time cost us as did two mistakes early in the secondhalf .
“It then became a psychological test for usandtheplayers responded well.”
Clarke and Louis Reed scored to give Posh a 2-0 lead against Burton before two howlers from back-up goalkeeper Dan Gyollai enabled the visitors to sneak in front. Defender Niall Mason equalised with hi s f i r s t Posh goal to take the tie to penalties when Gyollai made the only save of the shootout.
“Clarke, Reed and Ethan Hamilton were excellent in midfieldagainst Burton,” Ferguson stated. “Louis is on the transfer list, but his attitude has been first-class.”
Transfer-listed Louis Reed was praised for his first-class attitude.
Ferguson: ‘I hope wehave got the bad display out of the wayalready.’
Former Posh defender Gaby Zakuani made his commentary debut for BBC Radio Cambs at the Burton game.
He described the Posh Academy graduates as ‘scaryily good.’
Posh fielded two 17 yearolds - Clarke and Ronnie Edwards - as well as 18 year-old Harrison Burrows.