Darrell Clarke Backs Liam Kinsella to Become a Team Leader Darrell Clarke Backs Liam Kinsella to Become a Team Leader

Darrell Clarke Backs Liam Kinsella to Become a Team Leader

Walsall manager Darrell Clarke has spoken to the local press and backed midfielder Liam Kinsella to become a leader in the dressing room after the 23-year-old penned a new two-year deal at Banks's Stadium.
Colchester-born Kinsella, who is a product of the club’s academy, has made eighty-nine first-team appearances since being handed his debut by Dean Smith in 2014 and is expected to form part of Clarke's first-team as he looks to steady the ship following last season's relegation to the fourth-tier of English football.

Clarke, who has already added midfielders Stuart Sinclair and James Hardy to his squad, sees the former Republic of Ireland under-19 and under-21 international as a key member of the team he wants to build at the Banks’s and now wants him to take more responsibility as one of the long-standing members of the squad.

Speaking to Express & Star reporter Matt Maher, Darrell said; "It is an opportunity for Liam to step up. There is only so long you can keep calling a player young. Liam fits into a more experienced category now, to be honest with you.

"I am sure he will be looking to kick on and improve as a player. I know he is a great lad anyway and he fits into the way I want to play."

Clarke, who is keen to centre his squad around positive players, went on to discuss the general lack of leaders across many sporting disciplines before praising Liam as a player who leads by example and backed him to be among the group of players to drive the team forward.

The gaffer continued; "Across the sport, you don’t see enough leaders stepping up to the plate now. The academy systems we have now are producing better technical players, without a doubt, but they are not producing enough leaders, at least in my mind.

"Sometimes you have to look at a leadership group who lead by example. I see Liam as part of that. Doing things right every single day, on and off the pitch. I have numerous players who do that.

"I have signed a couple who I know do that. I want more players standing up to the plate in that sort of way. We will have a few experienced players but we are going to have a hungry, young squad.

"The players can learn quickly but there are a few of the boys in there who have had good experience now and are at an age when they need to step up."
Got any Saddlers content you'd like to share with your fellow fans?

Off on an away day? Preparing to visit Fortress Bescot? Captured the aftermath of a Walsall goal?

Email your content to [email protected] or slide into our DMs!
Don't forget you can keep up to date with the latest Walsall FC news and views across social media, we're on 𝕏, Facebook, Threads, and Instagram. We also offer updates via Google News.
Previous Post Next Post