Source: FOOTYMAD
Ruddy Well Right
'Keeper John Ruddy would like stay for a while longer at Fir Park but can see a move south being for the best. John Ruddy is looking long-term to a return to English football but is seriously considering a permanent switch to Motherwell in view of his situation at home club Everton. Ruddy has been hugely influential in Motherwell's push for a top-six place in the league, the goalkeeper has secured his 12th clean sheet during Saturday's draw at Hamilton. Ruddy knows what it is like to be loaned out at Fir Park is his ninth loan home since leaving Cambridge United in the summer of 2005, but his future at Everton has a large cloud hovering over it after David Moyes signed Legia Warsaw goalkeeper Jan Mucha on a pre-contract agreement. Cambridgeshire-born Ruddy has "loved every minute" at Fir Park but new manager Craig Brown may struggle to keep him for another season. Ruddy said: "The SPL is a great league but, if I'm being completely honest, my first option would be going back down to England, purely for my family. I've got a young boy and to be six hours away from grandparents is not ideal. Liverpool is three hours away and that's far enough. But if the offer was on the table I would give it a lot of consideration because I've enjoyed my time so much and it's been so beneficial for me, that I would be silly not to consider it." Ruddy's good form could see Motherwell priced out of the market if Everton decide to cash in and try to recoup the £250,000 they paid for him. He said: "As long as I'm an Everton player, I want to play for them. I have a year left on my contract and I don't know what's going on. It's up to Everton to make a decision. They have three options; I'm either involved with them and get a new contract; or they sell me in the summer; or I wait until next year and leave on a free." However, Ruddy knows full well that the middle option is the most likely after the recruitment of Mucha. He said: "It's very disappointing from my perspective, not only me but Carlo Nash and Iain Turner as well, for them to bring in another keeper. But these things happen in football and you get on with it. Like I've said, there are three options. Whether this new keeper coming in makes a difference to these options, we'll wait and see." Ruddy will look to further improve the best clean sheet record tomorrow when Motherwell welcome hurting Hibs, the only team they have failed to take points off this season. Ruddy said: "Twelve shut-outs is great but I don't take the credit, the back four have been fantastic. The manager has had a consistent defence for the last seven games and kept six clean sheets. I don't think that's a coincidence, that level of consistency has given the team a lot of confidence. Hibs are a bit of a bogey team and the last two games we haven't played well at all for whatever reason. But this is a new management set-up and a consistent team so hopefully we can get a result." Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba net)Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba net)This is Scottish-Fitba Net
