Toshack swipe at Wolves boss
Wales boss John Toshack today weighed into the Freddy Eastwood debate by taking a swipe at Mick McCarthy for dropping the £1.5m striker.
Wales boss John Toshack today weighed into the Freddy Eastwood debate by taking a swipe at Mick McCarthy for dropping the £1.5m striker.
Toshack has named Eastwood in his squad to take on Cyprus and San Marino this month but is frustrated that the forward is not playing regular football for his club.
The Wales manager has called McCarthy's judgement into question and reckons it is a 'strange situation' that his new international star is not first choice at Wolves.
Eastwood has struggled to recapture the form that helped him make an explosive start for club and country, and has not figured for Wolves since the Hull defeat on September 18.
McCarthy has preferred the energetic pairing of Stephen Elliott and Andy Keogh in the last two games and named the pair as his first choice duo last week.
And that has prompted Toshack to question the wisdom of managers paying big money for players and then not playing them.
"Derby and Wolves just a few weeks ago splashed out money for these players (Eastwood and Robert Earnshaw).
"Maybe their judgement needs to be questioned," said Toshack.
"It is strange that after only a short period of time the situation should change, particularly in Eastwood's case.
"Obviously we are biased and would like to see all our strikers fit and scoring goals.
"Far be it from us to tell the club managers who to play, they see them every day, but it is a strange situation."
Eastwood has already become a key part of Toshack's plans after scoring twice in three games for Wales.
He made an immediate impression with a superb goal against Bulgaria on his debut before scoring one of the five that Wales put past Slovakia last month.
Meanwhile, Eastwood's team-mate Wayne Hennessey is also included in the squad to play Cyprus on October 13 and San Marino on October 17.
Wales still retain a mathematical chance of qualifying for Euro 2008 after they beat Slovakia 5-2 last time out, but realistically Toshack is hoping to build a squad capable of making the 2010 World Cup.