Tilson: Premiership Only for Eastwood
Last updated : 17 August 2006 By Adam Duffill
Having already turned down one offer worth £1m Derby County just two weeks ago, many Championship and Premiership clubs have been linked with a move for the Basildon-based frontman.
Recently, Portsmouth had apparently made an offer of £3m before Saturday's defeat at QPR, however the likeliness is that this is not true. Furthermore, Southampton were supposedly going to be lining up a similar bid before signing Grezegorz Rasiak from Derby County, and Crystal Palace are also alleged to want to buy the 22-year-old. Moreover, it appears from a post on TLG messageboard that Coventry City have had a bid of £2.2m rejected by the Roots Hall backroom staff. Once again however, the truthfulness behind this story is unknown.
However Steve Tilson has been quick quash rumours of a move to another Championship club. Tilson explained: “Freddy isn't going anywhere, and joining a Championship club would be a sideways step anyway."
Realistically though, should Eastwood continue his recent good form (bar QPR!!!) at this level, then Premiership clubs will eventually produce Southend with an offer they simply cannot refuse, which was echoed by 40-year-old Tilson: “If he's got 10 or 15 goals by Christmas and a Premiership club comes in for him it might be a different story and I'd never stop a player furthering his career, but until then he's with us, he's playing well and scoring goals.”
Freddy himself has never once denied of being unhappy whilst with the club, and continues to stress that he is happy enough plying his trade at Roots Hall. Eastwood frequently expresses to the press that he is “happy to stay and just wants to continue doing well for the club”.
So, it appears for now as though Freddy Eastwood is happy at Southend and Southend are happy to have Freddy Eastwood, however, with his contract expiry date at the end of the season, Southend United will either have to get the goalscorer a lucrative new deal or face selling him to a Premiership club – even for a cut price.
*Southend United reserves, including new signing Peter Clarke and recently sidelined Efe Sodje, lost 1-0 away at Colchester United today. It was Sodje's first match since breaking his leg in the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth in April.*
Adam Duffill
www.thelittlegazette.com
