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There are so many rumours flying around regarding this situation at the moment including:
A clause in ROD’s contract where if he plays another game/gets another clean sheet, his contract becomes exponentially more expensive.
Eastwood has a clause in his loan where he has to play every game as a caveat for Sheff Utd paying all or the large majority of his wages.
ROD has fallen out with Bentley in some capacity.
Eastwood has uncompromising pictures of the gaffer.
A combination of one or more than of the above.
Can anyone clarify this situation or give any credence to any of these theories? It’s really hard to stomach at the moment as Eastwood is a young lad and I do feel sorry for him. But if we were to kick on now and only go down by a few points, you could certainly argue that the decision to bring him in and put him straight into the team will have cost us our league status.
Don’t get me wrong, ROD was very poor before Eastwood came in (and I think a lot of people are forgetting this). Both are absolutely glued to their line with no command of their area and ROD conceded two identical free kicks before he was dropped (both of which he could have saved with a bit of nous).
I am at a loss as to how we have identified Eastwood in the first place tbh. I know he’s been here before but he hardly played so we can’t be judging him on that spell. And he has very little FL experience in his career. I can’t think of any telling links we have with Sheff Utd so it doesn’t make sense on that front either.
Whatever people's views on ROD's form this season, I don't think anybody could argue he isn't a better 'keeper than Eastwood. He should be starting every week unless there is a damn good reason why not.
We clearly have an existing relationship with Sheffield United (Smith, Broadbent, Seriki, Eastwood off the top of my head, with the Brierley situation on top of that) so I'd imagine that is how he was identified.
I'd heard similar on RoD to your first point about it being finance related - basically Bentley dropped him in the hope it'd help offload him to get a relatively high wage off the wage bill.
He'd had a few poor games, but was decent at Bradford (& in the first few months was a clear contender for POTS) and would probably have benefitted from more competition (resulting in better training / sharpness)... parachuting somebody in to the first team who has around 30 senior appearances in the last 5/6 years as a 26 year old pro feels extreme if it was a purely footballing decision.
I defended Eastwood after his first game as, howler aside, he had a better game than most remembered. His overall performances since have been indefensible, though, and he looks broken mentally - its not a good sign that he constantly looks on edge & apologises to the crowd after every mistake or kick into touch. RoD (or another true first choice) needs to start the next game, for Eastwood's sake as well as for the good of the team.
We clearly have an existing relationship with Sheffield United (Smith, Broadbent, Seriki, Eastwood off the top of my head, with the Brierley situation on top of that) so I'd imagine that is how he was identified.
I'd heard similar on RoD to your first point about it being finance related - basically Bentley dropped him in the hope it'd help offload him to get a relatively high wage off the wage bill.
He'd had a few poor games, but was decent at Bradford (& in the first few months was a clear contender for POTS) and would probably have benefitted from more competition (resulting in better training / sharpness)... parachuting somebody in to the first team who has around 30 senior appearances in the last 5/6 years as a 26 year old pro feels extreme if it was a purely footballing decision.
I defended Eastwood after his first game as, howler aside, he had a better game than most remembered. His overall performances since have been indefensible, though, and he looks broken mentally - its not a good sign that he constantly looks on edge & apologises to the crowd after every mistake or kick into touch. RoD (or another true first choice) needs to start the next game, for Eastwood's sake as well as for the good of the team.
I know we’ve had players from Sheff Utd in the past but when I say no telling link, I mean that none of these have really stood out so there’s nothing to suggest that is one of the first places we should look.
As I say, Eastwood is a football league novice for the most part and there must have been young keepers out there with more experience who we could have taken a punt on. ROD has his deficiencies but he’s miles better than Eastwood.
If the wage rumour surrounding ROD is true, you have to wonder who on earth sanctioned that sort of clause in his contract (and why). You would also have to retrospectively apportion some blame to Stockdale as well.
If there was some sort of appearance clause then you wouldn’t think that ROD would even be on the bench? After all, he could be called into action as a sub if Eastwood was injured?
If there was some sort of appearance clause then you wouldn’t think that ROD would even be on the bench? After all, he could be called into action as a sub if Eastwood was injured?
Unless it's based on starts.
When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf?
Eastwood isn't good enough and his lack of appearances at 26 shows it. I couldn't care less about O'Donnells contract - if he doesn't get put back in the team we will be cast adrift by the end of February. Found this shocker from Eastwood on loan at Scunthorpe - he's definitely got previous.
Its a BRILLIANT goal to cap a BRILLIANT start by Rochdale - Don Goodman 26/08/10
It's harsh but Eastwood has probably cost us points in a relegation battle for our league status.
Every area of the pitch could have been improved on but Eastwood was never going to be an improvement. Eastwood's wages being covered Sheffield, ROD wanted off the books or otherwise.
As previously stated, I'm hoping for 2 free agents. An aggressive midfielder and a keeper.
Can’t believe contracts would ever play a part in whether a player is picked or not. Not sure that would ever be an issue at any club, because if it was you wouldn’t agree a deal in the first place.
Can’t believe contracts would ever play a part in whether a player is picked or not. Not sure that would ever be an issue at any club, because if it was you wouldn’t agree a deal in the first place.
I've heard of contract extension clauses where if you play so many games you automatically trigger an extension for another year but I can't imagine that being the case with O'Donnell? We signed him as number 1 keeper and he has hundreds of games under his belt - he was always going to make enough appearances for us you would have thought. Bentley must have had words with him after the Sutton away goal (straight from the corner) and the 2 free kick goals. If they've had a bust up and he's dropped him as soon as he's been able to get another keeper in then they need to kiss and make up. Eastwood isn't the answer and someone needs to have a word with Bentley before it's too late - his stubbornness will cost us our league place. crazy thing is we'd started the year with 2 draws and a win with O'Donnell in goal - 4 defeats with Eastwood in goal and he's not looked good enough from that first howler v Colchester.
Its a BRILLIANT goal to cap a BRILLIANT start by Rochdale - Don Goodman 26/08/10
Can’t believe contracts would ever play a part in whether a player is picked or not. Not sure that would ever be an issue at any club, because if it was you wouldn’t agree a deal in the first place.
Sam Russell, anyone?
When I was your age, I used to enjoy the odd game of tennis. Or was it golf?
One thing that was noticeable yesterday when they were warming up - RoD was visibly frustrated during Eastwood's kicking practise.
With zero pressure, in a practise situation and with RoD stood just inside the other half, every other kick from Eastwood was shanked out into touch. He consistently takes a rugby style step up, and consistently kicks badly. Last week they kept going left, so this week he started taking them from the right hand side to compensate for it - they still kept going out.
Our goal kicks may as well be changed to opposition throw ins from the half way line to save everybody a bit of time.
One thing that was noticeable yesterday when they were warming up - RoD was visibly frustrated during Eastwood's kicking practise.
With zero pressure, in a practise situation and with RoD stood just inside the other half, every other kick from Eastwood was shanked out into touch. He consistently takes a rugby style step up, and consistently kicks badly. Last week they kept going left, so this week he started taking them from the right hand side to compensate for it - they still kept going out.
Our goal kicks may as well be changed to opposition throw ins from the half way line to save everybody a bit of time.
If he struggles with his kicks, let a centre half take it.
It's really hard to see the lad apologising to supporters when he messes a kick up and it cannot be doing him any good.
Can’t believe contracts would ever play a part in whether a player is picked or not. Not sure that would ever be an issue at any club, because if it was you wouldn’t agree a deal in the first place.
Wasn’t there a rumour a few years again that Josh Lillis wasn’t being selected as a couple more appearances would have triggered a contact extension for the next season?
Eastwood got it in absolute spades from the fans after the first goal yesterday.
Totally ignoring that the cross should have been cleared by Max Taylor, but he left it. Which left keeper no chance, after their striker got to the ball ahead of Bennett.
If he struggles with his kicks, let a centre half take it.
It's really hard to see the lad apologising to supporters when he messes a kick up and it cannot be doing him any good.
I played in Goal for my old school team Moston Brook.. I could clear half way line out of my hands, goal kick I was shocking at so yep… brings back memories for me ðŸ‘
If its a football decision, ROD starts ahead of Eastwood. It's not even a debate anymore.
I welcomed the arrival of Eastwood because I'd grown frustrated with ROD's inability to get near free kicks. I thought real competition for places between the sticks would benefit us. How wrong I was. EBJ made a big call to bring Eastwood straight into the XI, which backfired due to a clanger. That mistake apart, I actually thought he had a good game. Since that game, Eastwood has looked void of any confidence whatsoever.
The first goal yesterday wasn't completely his fault, we should have defended it better, but in what world does a goalkeeper move away from the ball that's in his own 6-yard box?! The second goal shows even the basics are currently beyond him. His positioning is awful, for a strike where the build up was central so there's no excuse for being that far over. The reaction of disbelief from his teammates tells you all you need to know.
Get him out of the side. If that's against the terms of his loan deal, then he can go back to Sheffield United.
Surely we knew from his last appearances for us that he wasn't good enough then and looking at his career history, nothing much had changed. As a back up he might be OK especially as we had our number 2 out on loan for some valuable experience, but putting him directly in the firing line ahead of O' Donnell is an open invitation to disaster as has now been proven. As O'Donnell is still in the matchday squad, I cant see the number of appearances argument, I suspect this has more to do with the collapsed Brierley deal, maybe we were doing them a favour? Put the poor lad out of his misery, he simply isnt good enough. Get an emergency loan keeper in if needs be or bring back Kelly from loan. But lets not vote for suicide by playing him as first choice again.
Surely we knew from his last appearances for us that he wasn't good enough then and looking at his career history, nothing much had changed. As a back up he might be OK especially as we had our number 2 out on loan for some valuable experience, but putting him directly in the firing line ahead of O' Donnell is an open invitation to disaster as has now been proven. As O'Donnell is still in the matchday squad, I cant see the number of appearances argument, I suspect this has more to do with the collapsed Brierley deal, maybe we were doing them a favour? Put the poor lad out of his misery, he simply isnt good enough. Get an emergency loan keeper in if needs be or bring back Kelly from loan. But lets not vote for suicide by playing him as first choice again.
"We (allegedly) don't want to play a senior keeper cause it triggers an extension/wage rise (delete as appropriate) and the loan keeper we have is a bit shit" isn't really going to satisfy the requirements for an emergency loan keeper.
Eastwood got it in absolute spades from the fans after the first goal yesterday.
Totally ignoring that the cross should have been cleared by Max Taylor, but he left it. Which left keeper no chance, after their striker got to the ball ahead of Bennett.
Taylor's repeated his trick from last season of having one good game after being out of the team for a while and then being picked consistently for a short period despite that fact he is very clearly out of his depth at League Two level. The game seems to move too fast for him the whole time, he constantly leaves his man free and gets attracted to the ball, and as bad as the first goal is, what sort of attempt does he make to block the second one? Waves a foot at the space and turns his back, embarrassing defending.
I'm also sick to death of watching him try and play a 50 yard pass to the feet of one of our forwards. Have any of them come off yet? Good job we signed him up for another year at the start of this season anyway.
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