Jack Cork looking forward to his first shot at the Premier League with Burnley FC
CLARETS loan signing Jack Cork has described his move to Turf Moor as a "massive step" in his career after joining from Chelsea until the end of the season.
The 20-year-old, who was snapped up by Burnley boss Brian Laws on the final day of the January transfer window, was delighted to be given his first shot at the Premier League after spending most of his career on loan in the Championship.
And the versatile midfielder believes that moves like this can only help young players, trying to break through at 'bigger' clubs, develop their game.
He said: "A club like Chelsea, where they're always changing their managers, it's quite hard for youngsters, especially English youngsters, to try and break through.
"That's because there's a lot of pressure on the manager and there's a lot of pressure on the team to do well and win every game.
"There's a lot of good young players who I've played with over the last few years that haven't really had the chance they deserve but hopefully when the opportunity of a loan comes about it can help the young players do that.
"If the young players do well on loan like I'm doing now then hopefully they'll get a chance at a club like Chelsea.
"This is a massive step for me and hopefully the loan market and managers giving young players a chance can help bring through another crop of talented English players."
The England Under-21 international, who has been at Stamford Bridge since the age of nine and captained the club's youth team, has been in relegation scraps before with Scunthorpe United, where he played alongside new signing Danny Fox and Martin Paterson, and with Southampton.
However, he has already seen enough to suggest that the Clarets have enough to beat the drop.
He said: "I think they've got a really good chance of survival. The fans have been really good.
"I heard at the weekend that the fans have been really good and the players, the quality of the players, is at a high level.
"I think the way they played on Saturday and the way they have been playing, especially at home, there's no reason why they can't stay in this league for next season.
"I was impressed with the way that they try and play football really. There's some good passing and some good play and I think, encouraged by the fans, they've made a good few chances.
"If we can use that against teams around us at the bottom then we'll take some points off people.
"Burnley don't have any problems playing football and hopefully they can do well.
He added: "The team spirit in the dressing room seems really good.
Everyone seems quite happy and everyone seems to be getting along so hopefully that will make it easy for me to settle in with Foxy and the other new lads.
"You don't want to be in relegation battles too often but from what happens you can learn a lot.
"It's a feeling that you don't want to experience but when it does happen it's one of the worst things you can have.
"It's people's lives and families and fans; it just affects them in different ways."
And Cork, who Laws tried to sign while at the helm of Sheffield Wednesday in August 2008, admits that he is taking advice from his dad, former Wimbledon player and Bolton Wanderers coach Alan Cork, assistant first team coach at Chelsea Ray Wilkins and chief scout Frank Arnesen, to make sure his move to East Lancashire is a success.
"I speak to Ray Wilkins more and Frank Arnesen but they've just been saying to try and take the opportunity and do well and impress people that are watching," said Cork.
"And that's all I can do really. It's a good opportunity for me and I've got to try and use it.
"He (Alan Cork) tries to help me every now and again. I speak to him nearly every day and he gives me little words of advice.
"He watches as many games as he can and tries to tell me where and what I can improve on.
"He had a really good career; he was a goalscorer upfront so it's a slightly different style of play to me but he had a really good career so it's something I really want to progress to as I get older."
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Weather for Clitheroe
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
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