Former Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper on Keiren Westwood: Play him or lose him

The continued presence of senior goalkeeper Keiren Westwood at Sheffield Wednesday is making life harder for younger stoppers Cameron Dawson and Joe Wildsmith.
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That’s according to the Owls’ former keeper and manager Chris Turner, who also believes that while Westwood is still at the club he should be playing.

The former Republic of Ireland international, 35, has been out of first-team contention since defeat at West Brom last November, with Owls boss Garry Monk making clear that he wishes to press on with the club’s next phase with the younger pair battling it out for the number one jersey.

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The Star understands that Westwood has not trained with the first team for several months, not training at all since lockdown restrctions were lifted, and that he is unlikely to join the club in their return to training later today.

Keiren Westwood hasn't played for Sheffield Wednesday since November.Keiren Westwood hasn't played for Sheffield Wednesday since November.
Keiren Westwood hasn't played for Sheffield Wednesday since November.

Speaking to The Star, Turner said: “They've got two goalkeepers with huge potential that need games, time, confidence and work. If the club are fortunate and play it correctly they might get a first-class goalkeeper out of one of them.

“The problem is a lot of the time that in the eyes of so many supporters, the lad who isn't playing is always better than the lad who is playing. And whenever a goal goes in against either of the young guys, it's always 'Keiren Westwood would've saved that'.

“Players read what people are saying, especially nowadays with social media. Keiren, as good a goalkeeper as he is, is always hanging over. It kills the two young boys.

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“I went to watch a game and the people around were so critical of Dawson. He hadn't done anything wrong. You feel that as a goalkeeper and they have to do something really extraordinary for the fans to appreciate what he does.

“While Keiren is there, it's going to be hard for those two. If he is there, in my opinion, put him in goal. He should play. If they'd played him and he'd played anything like how he does, they might have been able to sell him this summer.”

Wednesday return to training at Middlewood Road today ahead of the Championship restart on September 12.

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