Sean Clare ready to play wherever boss Ben Garner sees fit in Charlton Athletic side
Charlton’s Sean Clare is ready to do what is asked of him as he looks set to operate as a right-back during the coming campaign.
The 25-year-old joined from Oxford United in the summer of 2021, after former Addicks and now U’s boss Karl Robinson had converted the midfielder into a right-sided defender.
Clare had been loaned out to Burton Albion during his last few months at the Kassam Stadium, with Robinson then challenging the Hackney-born player to “come back as a number eight and to prove that is his position.”
But he then made the move to SE7 for an undisclosed fee last summer.
Clare only started five of Nigel Adkins 13 league games in charge before finding himself asked to fill in as a makeshift right-centre-half by Adkins’ replacement Johnnie Jackson. He impressed in that role and went on to play the remainder of the campaign in the back-three.
He started Saturday’s pre-season defeat against Swansea back in the right-back berth and said he will fulfil whatever role new Charlton chief Ben Garner asks him to.
“That’s where the gaffer sees me, so I’ve just got to put my head down and work hard,” he explained.
“There’s competition for places in this team. If that’s where he sees me, I have to work hard and do my best in that position and hopefully play a lot of games.
“It’s slightly different to last season, there’s still stuff for me to learn. The gaffer has been helping along with the coaching staff. Day by day I’m understanding what he wants from me a lot more. I enjoyed it.”
Clare missed the final game of last season as he went under the knife to have a facial birthmark removed after medical advice – but says he feels fully up to speed ahead of the new League One campaign.
“I’m feeling good,” he said following the clash with the Swans.
“I wasn’t able to do anything in the off-season in terms of fitness. I came in on a clean slate, but I feel fit now. The staff have been really good with me. Helped me get back to my fitness. I’ve been involved in all the games, the same as everyone else. I feel like I’m ready to go and get the season underway.
“Overall, we did well [on Saturday]. Swansea will be a good side in the Championship this season, they’ve got a lot of good players. We matched them toe to toe. I think we deserved at least a draw from the game but it shows we’ve still got a couple of things to work on. It’s a very positive performance and something we can take onto next week.
“It’s never good to lose and concede two goals at home but in terms of the performance, the opportunities we had to also score. Implementing the gaffer’s new style, it’s all looking good. There’s things to learn from but we have to be positive going into next week.”
PHOTOS: KYLE ANDREWS