Eastwood considers move to lift Wales hopes

Feb 13 2008 by Paul Abbandonato, Western Mail

FREDDY EASTWOOD admits he may have to quit Wolves for the sake of his Wales career.

Eastwood, who set up the first goal in Wales’ 3-0 win over Norway last week, has endured a miserable debut season at Molineux following his much-trumpeted £1.5m summer move.

The Welsh hotshot has found himself frozen out of the first XI picture and appears to be fifth in Mick McCarthy’s pecking order after the Wolves boss signed two new strikers in the January transfer window.

Eastwood has not started a game for Wolves since the Boxing Day game with Hull and he has not scored for his club since a two-goal salvo against Blackpool way back in August.

Eastwood emphasised he does not want to leave Wolves, but acknowledged it may be the only route open to him if he cannot get a regular run of first-team football.

“It’s one of the reasons I was so pleased to be with Wales last week. It was great to be in the starting XI because I’ve not had much football for Wolves in recent times,” said Eastwood.

“I want to play my part in the coming World Cup campaign. Clearly I will have a better chance of being picked by Wales if I’m getting regular club football and scoring regularly at that level.

“When I first came to Wolves, I was in the team and scoring and it’s disappointing that’s not the case any more.

“There are 14 games to go until the end of the season and, if I’m not getting a fair run in the team, and other sides are coming in for me, then it’s an option I’m sure I will have to look at.

“The club will look at it and my agent will look at it. But leaving Wolves is the last thing I want to do.

“I want to play for the club, without a doubt, but I’m at the age where I want to play football. I think I’m good enough to play and score goals in this league.

“I’ve scored goals and done well at international level, so I’m sure I can do it in the Championship.”

Eastwood was given nine minutes of Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Stoke, but believes he had little opportunity to make any sort of impact.

“The manager wanted to change the game when we went 3-2 down, but the game was at such a fast pace that by the time I’d settled down the nine minutes was gone,” he lamented.

“The game just passed me by really. I’d have liked to have got on earlier introduction, but maybe the gaffer wanted to leave it when the game was at 2-1 or 2-2.

“I was pleased to get on, but for me the main thing is to start.

“Hopefully, you never know, with the games coming up I might get an opportunity for Wolves.”