If Rodwell played for Man Utd or Arsenal he would have played more games than he has for Everton. And his best position.

I also read those comments, which were mainly in reference to the young whiz kid Tommy Oar. It made me think about other teams in other codes that I follow or play for and how it makes sense. In the AFL I support the swans, and their now retired coach Paul Roos has used the same principle. Only bring in the youngsters when there is the urgent need and even then, give them a week or two off after 8 or 9 games to allow their body to recover. Roos was especially keen on rest as he knew that youngsters can't produce the consistency of a more mature player.

Contrast this with the first grade hockey team I play for. After a raft of retirements, the average age of the team last year was 19. It meant we had all kinds of talent, but couldn't produce the consistency of our rivals. This ensured that we just missed the semi-finals. Instead of beating the teams we should beat, we lost valuable points against them, but gained unexpected points against better teams. Only 2 or 3 senior figures were around, and this hindered the cause. If there were just 2 more seasoned players the team would have challenged for the title.

So, as annoying as it may seem for fans not to have new favourites (Coleman, Rodwell ? when fit, Gueye) playing each week we have to wait for the apple to ripen and reap the rewards in the future years.

Whilst I understand the point I do not believe you can make it universal.

My belief is if you're good enough you're old enough.

Alan Ball, Joe Royle and Wayne Rooney all broke into the first team at 16/17 years of age and it didn't do their careers any harm.

Ditto Howard Kendal who played in a Cup Final at 17 years of age.

There are many players who blossom very early. The late Duncan Edwards, who I was privileged to have watched on many occasions before his untimely death at Munich, was a giant of a lad.

Rodwell will be off soon so we might as well use him as much as we can before then. He's not going to spend his career at Everton.

OK, I'm getting slightly pissed off with all this talk about Rodwell being on his way, either in January, or in the summer. Yes, when Rooney went we all got stung, but the financial climate has changed a lot in 6 years (plus Rodwell doesn't have Stretford as an agent).

The so-called "Big Four" don't have the financial clout they had 2-3 years ago. It would take a bid of £30-40 million to allow Jack to leave, and the only team with pockets that deep are Citeh, who are already intimating the spending spree is coming to an end.

Secondly, Moyes has a proven record when it comes to big transfers and making other teams pay top dollar (Rooney, Lescott, etc.) so other teams know it'll be a bloody financial war before Davie will let one of his prize assets go.

Thirdly, Rodwell himself has already come out as saying he's in the right place for his career, plus has signed a five-year contract. Now I know some of you "glass half-empty" types will say this is PR bull, but the guy seems to have his head screwed on a lot better than Master Rooney.

Now, I'm not saying Rodwell won't move at some point in the future, but I think he'll be in Royal Blue for a couple of years at least. Both Moyes and Rodwell know they're both best off at Everton Football Club (for the moment), at the very least due to the finacial climate alone. But here's hoping they'll be here for a good few years to come. It would be great to see Rodwell ruling both Goodison and Wembley in a way Gerrard could only dream of.

Andrew (#1) ? You can't possibly know that!

Andrew (#1):

Interestingly, Jack Wilshere, who you might compare with Rodwell in terms of development, has played around 18 games less for Arsenal than Rodwell has for us and our Jack has missed a lot of games through injury too.

So perhaps not.

Chris Rudd:

You have to take into account the loan spell at Bolton also, so this might stack a little more in Wilshere's favour.

If Rodwell played for Man Utd... And his best position.

Is this the same Utd that played Rooney on the wing for how many years???

Generally, talented young fella's are immature, difficult to handle and headstrong. Coaches come up with this sort of guff because they've no idea how to handle them.

As others have mentioned, the greatest players have always played first-team footie early, it's a measure of modern day coaches ? they're all control freaks not happy with individuality.

Rooney.

"It would take a bid of £30-40 million to allow Jack to leave."

Yes Alex, just like it would take £50 million for Man Utd to get Rooney.

Kris (#8): The original comment was insinuating that if Rodwell played for Arsenal he'd have played more games FOR Arsenal, and in his proper position.

How does going on loan to Bolton add credence to that argument?

Andrew (#1)... Sorry mate, I think you are talking bollocks. Rodwell may (or may not) be ready for his breakthrough season to be our number one holding central midfield player... but he wasn't last season and at the moment he has to force his way in ? and stay in ? ahead of both Fellaini and Heitinga... subject to injuries, suspensions and Jonny telling everyone he wants to play for Barca or someone else.

The issue we face is that we have a player who has the POTENTIAL to go on and be the first name on the England team sheet for years to come... but he isn't there yet (and may not achieve that level).

However, if we get a £25m offer on the table NOW (and he isn't playing at the £25m level NOW), we may decide we can get better value and buy a couple of really good players at the £15m + £10m level that actually strengthen our squad NOW and improve our team NOW. That decision may be down to Moyes and the Board in the Summer.

Let's not forget that, without selling Wayne Rooney, our club would have been completely Donald Ducked 6 years ago and we would not have been able to get to the level we have been at for the last three years. If the decision is made in the Summer, perhaps that extra quality we can bring in, may be just enough to take us from 5th/6th to 4th and then we can ride the gravy train for a few years getting money in to take the club up to the next level.

More immediately, however, we need to be addressing moving Bily on in January and getting Pienaar to sign a new deal somehow, otherwise a fair amount of any Rodwell cash ? if it comes along ? would have to be used just to replace Pienaar, and that just wouldn't be very clever in my opinion.

Or you could be Coleman putting in a Man of the Match performance against Blackpool then dropped for the lazy bastard Bily the next ? Coleman did more in his first five mins last night than Bily did before he went off.