Clingan Is Fitter Than Ever Claims Boothroyd
Last updated : 03 November 2010 By Covsupport News Service/RD
Coventry City manager Aidy Boothroyd has claimed that his Northern Ireland international midfielder Sammy Clingan is fitter now than he has ever been.
Clingan was a regular started last season under Chris Coleman, but at the beginning of Boothroyd's reign, the 26 year old Clingan found himself on the sidelines.
Clingan said at the time he was not one to sulk and moan about being left out and worked hard to recover his place in the Coventry City team. Once he had re-established himself in the team, he has helped to make the team into a top four side.
Boothroyd praised the quality of Clingan saying to the CT: "Everybody knows what a good passer he is but his work ethic has gone through the roof."
"All the Pro-Zone stats show that his work rate, the amount of ground he's covering, is the best in his career. We can measure all these things and he has gone up massively and I think he is fitter than he has ever been."
"He's got that willingness to be a better player and he's becoming a really formidable opponent. He's becoming a better all-round player and for somebody of that age and that quality, that's a great achievement."
Boothroyd addressed the question about omitting Clingan from the side at the start of the current campaign saying, "He's a proud man is Sammy and he doesn't want to be left out and he wanted to respond and that's exactly what he has done."
"I think he is asking more of himself and he's doing the things that some players don't want to do but that are an absolute must for team players."
"He is getting on the end of things, he's not only providing the passes for us but he is also winning the ball. He has become more of a rounded player, in my opinion."
The teams' resurgence is not down solely to the form of one player like Clingan and Boothroyd was quick to add his praise to other members of the team.
"I think Lee (Carsley) is a terrific player who helps gel and bind the team together like Sammy does but I think it is a number of things really. I think Sammy has upped his game, I think Cars has come in and been a steadying influence at the club and I think Michael Doyle is pushing really hard to get into the team and that combination is working for us."
"Plus we have got Aron Gunnarsson, who I actually think is better out wide, but who still sees himself as a central midfield player so we have got real competition for places."
Boothroyd likes to think he is a more than capable man manager and motivator and works hard to get the best out of his players. He does this by making the players realise their potential, letting them know what they are capable of.
A philosophical Boothroyd said, "My biggest problem is that I sometimes think that players are better than they think they are. Usually it is the other way round with managers and players but because I have seen this group for a little period of time now."
" I think people can always do more and always be better whether they are 36 or 17. What Sammy has done is added to himself because he was a already a very good player in my opinion but he has added more.
"I expect everyone to do that and the same can be said of Gary McSheffrey at the minute, although Gary will disagree and think that he has always been a good team player.I think he has come on a lot in a very short space of time. His attitude and work ethic are very, very good."
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