Manager hits out at former Liverpool starlet as Bobby Clark’s Salzburg nightmare hits new low

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That a return to British football is already being discussed, less than a year after Bobby Clark left Liverpool for Red Bull Salzburg, speaks volumes about his impact at the Austrian giants.

Or, as is more appropriate, his complete absence of any discernible ‘impact’.

Just last week, the father of the former Anfield starlet – one-time Newcastle United, Sunderland and Fulham midfielder Lee – claimed that the departure of Pep Lijnders had left Bobby Clark in a difficult position.

Lijnders, a long-standing assistant to Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, was a major factor in Clark’s decision to put pen to paper with Red Bull Salzburg during the summer of 2024.

And as Lijnders bit the bullet after only five months and 29 games in charge – Clark thanking the Dutchman for the ‘trust’ he had shown in him when the sacking was confirmed – a hit-and-miss start to life in mainland Europe would start to go downhill pretty quickly.

Former Liverpool starlet Bobby Clark cannot arrest Salzburg slide

Thomas Letsch, the new man at the helm, clearly doesn’t share Lijnders’ faith in an England Under-20 international who featured in five Premier League matches during Klopp’s final campaign on Merseyside.

After being withdrawn at half-time during Letsch’s second match in charge back in January, Clark has played just 20 minutes of the last eight Austrian Bundesliga matches.

A thigh problem kept him out of three of those, it should be said. But his omission from the matchday squad during Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Austria Vienna, or the defeat to Sturm Graz seven days prior, was very much not the result of an ill-timed injury.

Instead, as Letsch would explain, it was Clark’s poor performances on the training pitch which led to his exclusion.

“I decided on other players,” Letsch said after initially leaving the 20-year-old out of Salzburg’s 2-1 defeat by reigning champions Sturm Graz seven days prior, speaking to Salzburg 24.

“I wasn’t satisfied with Bobby’s training week and therefore told him he wasn’t in the squad.”

Red Bull Salzburg director explains ‘frustrating’ situation

At £10 million, Clark is the third most expensive signing in Salzburg’s history.

Given that Erling Haaland, Sadio Mane, Dayot Upamecano, Dominik Szoboszlai and more have all passed through the feted Red Bull finishing school, Clark is also now at risk of being seen as one of the most unsuccessful.

“The situation is unsatisfactory for both sides,” admits sporting director Rouwen Schroder. “We need every single player on the [right] path. And then, of course, we’ll put our heads together and look at the direction towards the summer,, what makes sense and what doesn’t.

“This [situation] is certainly frustrating for Bobby.”

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LiverpoolLiverpool	33	24	7	2	75	31	44	79
2	ArsenalArsenal	33	18	12	3	61	27	34	66
3	Nottm ForestNottingham Forest	33	18	6	9	53	39	14	60
4	NewcastleNewcastle	33	18	5	10	62	44	18	59

While featuring against the likes of Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Clark has been included in the Salzburg XI only seven times on the domestic stage.

And, just thirteen months after Clark replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold as Liverpool’s youngest-ever European goalscorer, his tally in a Salzburg shirt stands at a measly one from 24 appearances.

Clark’s father admits that Red Bull Salzburg have received ‘a lot of offers’ instead from various British-based clubs.

Though if the 17-time Austrian champions are forced to sell at a substantial loss – a rarity, indeed, for an outfit renowned for their eye-watering profits – Clark, to quote to quote an unimpressed Salzburg 24 ‘will go down as one of the biggest transfer flops in the Bulls’ history’.