Mike Dodds makes interesting Jack Clarke point as he discusses Sunderland absence and confirms injury hope

Mike Dodds remains hopeful that Jack Clarke will be fit to face Norwich City this weekend and insists it will take time to develop a player who can replicate his impact on Sunderland this season.

Clarke missed the 2-1 defeat to Swansea City after suffering an ankle injury in the loss to Birmingham City a week previous, a game in which he scored his 15th goal of the campaign. Clarke is an early doubt for a crucial run of upcoming fixtures but Dodds is confident that there is no major issue and that he will hopefully be able to rejoin training this week, clearing the way for him to play a part at Carrow Road.

Clarke's absence was keenly felt against Swansea but Dodds said he had to take some of the responsibility for that, conceding that his initial game plan and change of formation didn't pay off. And while acknowledging that his absence clearly leaves a big gap in a Sunderland side already falling off the play off pace, he said it was important to remember that Clarke himself had taken time to develop into arguably the best wide player in the Championship.

"There's a level of responsibility on me as well," Dodds said, reflecting on whether he was disappointed that Sunderland hadn't been able to demonstrate they weren't overly dependent on Clarke.

"We can say that nobody grabbed the opportunity but the first half performance was really disappointing. The second half was a lot more what we all wanted to see.

"I won't allow Jack [being injured] to be used as an excuse. Jack is not just a good player for us, he's probably the best wide player in the league. We're talking about one of the best players in the league so you are never replacing Jack Clarke. But one thing I will say, and I think this is really important, when Jack Clarke came to the football club he wasn't the Jack Clarke he is now. I think that's an important message.

"We have to make sure that message is really clear with Romaine [Mundle], Abdoullah [Ba], Naz [Rusyn]. I appreciate there will be frustration among the fans and I wish I could fast forward time, but Jack Clarke when he came to the club wasn't the Jack Clarke he is now. That's a really important message people need to, not understand because they're fans and want to win games of football, but from where I'm sitting, we have to make sure we work with the other players to get another Jack Clarke."

Asked about Clarke's injury status, Dodds reiterated that he would be assessed today with a view of hopefully returning to training.

"Yeah, that's what I've been told," Dodds said.

"He's raring to go. He's a robust boy, since he's come in he's hardly missed any football. He rarely misses training, hence the reason we thought he'd be available, but for whatever reason that hasn't happened."

While Clarke will hopefully be fit to return to the squad, none of Sunderland's other absentees are likely to be back in the fold as Dan Ballard serves the second and final game of his suspension.