Tony Mowbray has praised Jack Clarke's response after admitting he gave the winger a half-time rocket in Sunderland's 4-4 draw against Hull City. Mowbray felt the young wideman was poor for 20 minutes against the Tigers, despite contributing two assists in a first half which saw the sides deadlocked at 2-2.
But in the second period, Clarke went on to win a penalty and then score himself, meaning he ended up having a hand in each of the Black Cats' four goals. Mowbray is a huge admirer of Clarke and says he just wants to push him to be the best he can be, adding: "I had a big shout at him at half-time, to be honest, I thought he was really poor for 20 minutes but his reaction was amazing.
"We can't sit here and question Jack Clarke's talent, he has double-figure goals now from the left wing and I think probably double-figure assists as well. He's a great player and yet he has to understand - and in my mind he is still a young boy - that we need 90 minutes, not a brilliant 60 minutes.
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"Yet, notoriously, wide attackers are a bit flighty, generally. I want Jack to be the best player every game, score goals, create goals, and be too good for the Championship.
"He has to embrace that and want to do it, and not be happy if he is getting shouted at. I've said to him that I'll always love him. I'll shout at him, I'll get annoyed, but the next morning I'll make you a cup of tea and put my arm around you, it's fine - life's good.
"We're trying to win football matches and everybody needs to find top performances every game, but sometimes players find it hard to perform at a level and that's the challenge for them."
Sunderland twice came from behind to lead against Hull, but conceded an injury-time equaliser from the penalty spot which meant they dropped two points. They climbed one place to 11th in the table, leaving them six points outside the play-off spots, ahead of their Easter Monday trip to Cardiff City.
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