Alex Bruce's talk with the Rotherham United man who may be about to be dropped
The shot-stopper was at fault for a goal last weekend
Boss Alex Bruce has spoken with Ted Cann in the wake of a performance that could see the goalkeeper taken out of the Rotherham United firing line.
The 25-year-old has started every match this season but his tendency to parry shots rather than keep hold of them has cost the Millers goals - including the one that brought a 1-0 League Two loss at leaders Bristol Rovers last Saturday.
Bruce described the keeper as "fine", but the head coach acknowledged that criticism from fans on social media can be hard to handle.
"Ted's mood has been good this week," Bruce told the Advertiser today. "I had a chat with Ted this morning. He's fine. Let's not forget, he made a really good save towards the back end of the game last week - the one that he tipped on to the crossbar.
"Could he have done better for the goal? Yeah, possibly. There are positives and negatives to his performance, like there is with all players."
Cann spilled a 33rd-minute shot into the path of Tommy Leigh - who bagged Rovers' winner - and could now lose his place to young Premier League loanee Julian Eyestone who has yet to make his debut a month after joining from Brentford
The 17th-placed Millers are at home on Saturday to big-spending Salford City who have climbed to 15th spot with two successive victories.
"We'll have to wait and see," said Bruce when asked if Cann will give way to the 20-year-old American. "The goalkeeping position is the same as every other position. I want the players in my backline to show me that they deserve the shirt, that they deserve to play.
"We've conceded too many goals in the opening five games. Defensively, we need to get better. We're working on that constantly. Whoever is picked, it's an opportunity for them. Normally in football, if you play well, do the right things and minimise mistakes, you keep your shirt."
Many supporters have called online for Cann to be replaced, and Bruce's guidance to his players is to avoid seeing comments made about them.
"With social media, there's such a huge platform on which to throw abuse," the boss said. "I think it's part and parcel of being a footballer these days. I had this conversation the other day - when I played. you used to just look at one mark out of 10 in a newspaper on a Sunday and hopefully you were above six.
"Now, you've got X, Facebook, Instagram. There are a lot of platforms for people to voice opinions and put pressure on individuals. It is tough. My advice to anyone would be: 'Don't read it. Stick to your guns, work hard, get yourself through it when you're having a tough patch.' It's all character-building.
"There are so many examples of individuals who've had tough times - big players, top players who've played at the highest level. You go through periods in your career where you have tough moments and it's about working hard, keeping your head down, keeping your mouth shut and trying to get through it.
"You can turn it around just as quickly as you can fall into a rut. That's what individuals have to do when they're having a hard time of it."
Bruce was cagey about the club's injury situation, saying "one or two" players might be ready to return this weekend but refusing to say who they are.