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Doncaster Rovers: Oster keen to stay at Keepmoat
Deal me in – that's the message from winger John Oster, who is keen to extend his time at the Keepmoat Stadium.
The former Wales international's short-term contract with Doncaster Rovers is due to expire shortly and he is keen to thrash out an agreement to stay at the club, having enjoyed his time immensely in South Yorkshire.
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Rovers are the ninth club of the Boston-born ace's nomadic career, which has taken in high-profile spells at Everton and Sunderland after starting out on the east coast with Grimsby Town and laying down some more lasting roots would be just the ticket for Oster, who celebrates his 31st birthday on Tuesday.
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Oster, who penned a contract with Rovers in August after parting company with previous club Crystal Palace in the summer, said: "I'll be speaking to the club in the next week or two and we'll go from there.
"I've enjoyed my time here and it's great playing (regular) football and it suits me here.
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"I'd be more than happy to stay if we come to some sort of agreement and both parties are happy, then it wouldn't be a problem."
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Oster has fitted in well with the pure footballing credo at the Keepmoat, but while Sean O'Driscoll's troops are well known across the land for extolling the virtues of the beautiful game, the midfielder feels needs must on occasions and has implored Rovers to show their ugly side when the situation arises.
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Especially on their travels.
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Ahead of yesterday's trip to Oster's old stamping ground of Selhurst Park, Rovers had yet to taste victory on the road in nine Championship encounters after a host of high-profile away victories in the second half of last season at tough venues such as Bramall Lane, Portman Road, Home Park and Bloomfield Road.
Must of that is down to not digging in enough and showing a soft underbelly at set-pieces and while the free-flowing stuff is all well and good, Rovers' prior need is to keep things solid and the defensive mistakes to a minimum.
Errors have already proved costly in defeats to the likes of Plymouth Argyle, Newcastle United and West Brom this term and Rovers' Achilles heel of failing to deal with free-kicks and corners was again exposed in last weekend's 4-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest, where they famously triumphed 4-2 last Boxing Day to kick-start their campaign.
Poor defending enabled Forest to bag three second-half goals, despite there being little in the game at the interval, with the East Midlanders' narrowly leading 1-0, courtesy of an own goal from Gareth Roberts.
And remedying those defensive foibles has understandably received the
lion's share of the attention on the training ground at Cantley Park this week.
Oster said: "We've had a quick chat this week and have tried to iron out the problems Forest caused us and hopefully we'll rectify them.
"I didn't think there was anything in the game really. I know people will look at the scoreline and think we got battered or something, but far from it.
"We just conceded the own goal and if we'd had gone in at 1-1 at half-time and nicked one, things could have been a little different.
"But it wasn't to be and apparently, they got a bit of a rollicking at half-time from their manager and came out with a mentality of trying to press us, which they did.
"We didn't change anything in our game and they changed their tactics and we didn't perform too great.
"It wasn't a great second half and they scored three goals and it looks a really bad result from everybody outside looking in."
The result took some of the gloss away from Rovers' peerless 2-0 home victory over QPR the previous week, when the hosts handed out a footballing lesson to the West Londoners in a truly irresistible showing.
While Rovers again took the plaudits for artistic impression and had supporters drooling, a few more ugly wins would also help their cause no end and enable them to sit more easily in the table with O'Driscoll's side currently too close to the foot of the table for comfort.
Oster added: "QPR was a good performance and really good to be involved in. When you are 2-0 up at home, it's amazing how much confidence grows and everyone wants the ball.
"But it's away from home, when you are 1-0 down when you want to be doing things like that. You need to be wanting the ball when the chips are down.
"It's easy enough to play when you are 2-0 up at home, it's not as hard as when you are away from home and need to get a result. We'd settle for a scrappy 1-0 win away from home, that's for sure.
"If we can pick up a few more results, we won't be looking over our shoulders towards the bottom three and can push on towards the top half.
"We were given lots of credit the week before against QPR, but the important thing was we didn't give away chances. But we were sloppy last Saturday and the major problems were set-pieces.
"The first one was a bit unlucky, but the second wasn't and was just bad play from us.
"If we can eradicate those errors, that's the way forward for us getting results away from home.
"Yes, we have been unfortunate with a few results this season, but at the end of the day, you are where you are because you have not picked up the results.
"We are a good footballing team, but need to be a bit more ruthless away from home. We need to be harder to beat, rather than easy on the eye."
Oster was set for a reunion with former club Palace this weekend and he admitted ahead of the game, he wasn't too sure what reception he'd get after parting company with the Eagles under a bit of a cloud.
Oster is one of a trio of players – the others being Shefki Kuqi and Paul Ifill – in dispute with Palace over paid outstanding salaries and bonuses, with Eagles fans expected to have given him a rough ride.
Speaking before the trip south, he added: "A lot has been made over the financial situation (at Palace). They still owe myself and a few other players money.
"Whether or not, the fans will pick up on that, I don't know. It would be nice to get a decent reception.
"But with everything else going on at the club at the minute, who knows what might go on."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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