Post by QPR Report on Jan 5, 2010 13:15:15 GMT
Our ex-player (briefly) Chris Barker
Plymouth Herald - Barker targets first team run
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
DEFENDER Chris Barker is aiming to stay in the Plymouth Argyle side now that he has finally returned to the first team after a long-term injury.
The 29-year-old made his first appearance of the season when he started at centre-back in the 0-0 draw against Newcastle United at Home Park in the FA Cup on Saturday.
Barker had been sidelined for the first five months of the current campaign after twice tearing a calf muscle.
But his return to fitness was a timely one for Pilgrims' head coach Paul Mariner, who was without Reda Johnson for the third round tie against Newcastle.
That was the first of at least five matches that Johnson will miss because he is in the Benin squad for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, which starts in Angola on January 10.
With centre-back Krisztian Timar being loaned out to Oldham Athletic for a month last Friday, Barker slotted into the side against Newcastle.
He and Kari Arnason coped well with the aerial power of Magpies' strikers Shola Ameobi and Nile Ranger as Argyle kept only their third clean sheet in 25 matches this season.
Now, with Johnson away on international duty, Barker has the chance to stake a claim for a regular place in the Pilgrims' team.
And that will continue against his former club Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on Saturday.
Barker said: "Reda has been fantastic, but this is my opportunity now to get my shirt back."
After signing from QPR for an undisclosed transfer fee in August 2008, Barker spent much of last season playing at left-back for Argyle.
But, towards the end of the Championship campaign, he made a successful switch into the centre of defence.
Barker has relished the challenge of playing in a new position.
"I haven't got a problem with playing at centre-back at all," he said. "I enjoy it to be honest.
"I did it on the very odd occasion at Barnsley and Cardiff City, and I love doing it. I have been playing there in training.
"I'm just happy to be playing after four-and-a-half months out. I will play up front if I have to.
"I'm even happy just to go training. It was the longest I have ever been out injured and, hopefully, the longest I ever will be.
"I'm chucking myself around the training ground like a 12-year-old.
"I'm just enjoying myself and, hopefully, I can get another 90 minutes this weekend."
Barker tore a calf muscle in the warm-up before Argyle's pre-season game against Hearts at Home Park on July 31.
The injury then flared up again during his recovery, which delayed his return to action even longer.
Barker made only one reserve team appearance before being thrown into the senior side against Newcastle.
"To be honest, I felt better as the game went along," he said. "In the first half-an-hour or so I was a bit nervous and a bit shaky.
"I gave the ball away three or four times when I shouldn't have.
"But as the game went along I felt okay, although it kicked in a bit in the last five minutes."
He added: "I was quite happy to get 90 minutes against Newcastle United in the third round of the FA Cup."
Barker has not played at Newcastle's St James' Park before so he is excited about the prospect of the replay on Wednesday, January 13.
The Pilgrims were indebted to a superb save from goalkeeper Romain Larrieu in the closing stages, who tipped a shot from Nicky Butt onto the top of the crossbar, for ensuring the first game at Home Park ended goalless.
Barker said: "We dug in for the last 15 minutes and Romain made a great save, tipping it onto the bar.
"But they (Newcastle) have got good players and they are probably going to be in the Premier League next season.
"We did okay against them and we battled. If we can take that into the league against QPR it will be good. I have never been to Newcastle myself, so it will be nice from a personal point of view. And it's another game for me to play.
"You want to play at places like that. It's as simple as that."
Read more: www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/sport/BARKER-TARGETS-TEAM-RUN/article-1669536-detail/article.html#ixzz0bk8xiXFa
