It seems an age since we saw either Joe Rodon or Mike Van Der Hoorn in a Swans shirt but the news today that both are nearing a return to first team action was well received as the Swans prepared for the visit of Luton Town to the Liberty on Saturday.
Whilst for Rodon his lay off from the team has technically only been one game albeit with a last appearance more than three months ago, Van Der Hoorn has not pulled on a shirt since facing Charlton on 2nd January. Indeed, had it not been for the suspension of the league season in March it is likely that performance would have been his last in a Swans shirt with the Dutchman largely expected to be exiting the Liberty at the end of the season.
That win over Charlton may still prove to be the last game for Van Der Hoorn with Steve Copper understandably cautious over a return for a player who passed the 100 league starts for the Swans over Christmas.
“Mike has been in full training this week, which has been a real bonus to get him back on the grass” Cooper said in his remote press conference today.
“He will not be available to play for a little while because he has been out for so long, and he will need a certain amount of days and weeks of training before he can be considered for minutes.
“But it’s big progress for Mike and it is brilliant having back out with the team.
“Likewise with Joe, he has been training for a few days now and there is some real competition for places.”
Rodon was another one widely expected to be on his way out of the Liberty this summer but with football facing a financial issue due to the pandemic it will be interesting to see how the market evolves over the course of the summer with the Welsh international maybe not able to command the kind of fee for the club that we could have expected prior to the current position.
Does anyone think that VdH will be seen again in a Swans shirt? I can’t see it myself.
Should not the question be along the lines of “Would VDH and Rodon want to continue playing under this Manager”?
@jacabertawe I see two completely different scanrios.
Rodon is under contract, is a local lad and is still making his way in the game. He needs to keep his feet on the ground.
VdH is out of contract and may well be protecting himself from risk of injury and therefore the chance of a substantial free transfer.
Whilst they may both be annoyed at tactics, training methods and game management, their future game time in a white shirt may be on completely different trajectories.
More chance of seeing Huw Jenkins in the Railway ?
Any chance of seeing Huw Jenkins tied to the track?
@j_b
? ?
I think we would have won yesterday if those two had been in defence.
How do you figure that out, when our attacks were poor? At best, from that logic, we would have had a no score draw.
@jacabertawe based on the way they both play the ball out from defence.
Before VDH signed a contract extension to end of the season I thought no chance we’d see him again, protecting himself for his inevitable move away
Now he’s signed his short extension, if he doesn’t now play and just pockets the extra month or so cash and then leaves I’ll be properly pssd off.
But then given how the players have been not agreeing to any wage reductions in these times nothing would surprise me with the selfish bstds
VDH & Roden would definitely be an upgrade but neither have had any game time in their legs for months, would be great if both were on the bench and introduced at some time in the second half to get some valuable game time minutes in their legs.