Injured Hartlepool United and Chelsea goalkeeper Max Merrick tipped to reach 'very top' of the game
Hartlepool United boss Lee Clark on Max Merrick’s injury situation.
Injured Hartlepool United & Chelsea goalkeeper Max Merrick has been tipped to reach the ‘very top’ by head coach Lee Clark.
Merrick is out injured for six weeks, a major injury blow for Pools and Clark given the superb form Merrick has been in this season. It is the second thigh injury on the same leg for Merrick, who is back at Premier League side Chelsea for treatment.
It leaves Pools with Nathan Fisher as the current No1, the 21-year-old joined on a free from Middlesbrough in the summer and came on as a sub in the 1-0 win over Woking last week. Player/coach Adam Smith will be on the bench at Kidderminster Harriers tonight.
Clark speaking at the club’s Maiden Castle training base ahead of the Friday night league game, told the Mail: “He’s obviously disappointed but as I said in the conversation I had the day after the game, he's such an unbelievable talent.
“He's going to go right to the very top and especially with goalkeepers in today's world, he's got at least 20 years in the game. So if he has to miss six weeks, you take that in your stride. It's part and parcel of being a professional footballer. He's been unbelievable. He's not just a great goalkeeper as everyone can see, he's a brilliant character. “He's a great boy, so this is just a little blip in the road for him and for us. It's a normality of football so you've got to be able to deal with it.”
The Mail has launched a new WhatsApp HUFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join our HUFC WhatsApp channel.
Clark said he would have further discussions over the coming days with Chris Maxwell - head of football operations at club advisors’ Bromby & Partners - and the club’s recruitment team to determine plans for the goalkeeping department while Merrick, who is on loan, is out injured. But how long do Pools wait to make a decision?
Clark added: “That will come into the discussion because obviously, he's that good when he's fit. You don't want to just be stockpiling players for the sake of it. We've got to work out what's the best solution; short, medium, long term. So we'll have those internal discussions to see what the best way is. I've got complete faith in Nathan, that's without a shadow of a doubt.”