Bolton News

Bolton Wanderers: The £7M Prodigal Son

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This man now plays for Chelsea.

Afternoon all, here we are again with a lunchtime read whilst you knock back a frothy coffee and munch your way through some salad and a doughnut. Or whatever it is that normal 9-5 people do. I’ve just had spaghetti bolognese, lovingly made by Mrs X last night that I have just blasted to death in one of the industrial microwaves we have here. I can’t think of an analogy to go with that. Just think of one yourselves.

You know when you say something and then a) everyone immediately disagrees with you or b) someone in authority comes out and does exactly the thing that you have been arguing against? No? Well, both those things have happened to me over the past twenty four hours.

Yesterday, I wrote how we should all not speculate over whether or not Fabrice Muamba would even play football again, that he be given time, that the psychology of it all is as, if not more, important than the physical. Well, thank you very much St Owen of Coyle for saying:

Knowing Fabrice and how much of a battler he is, it wouldn’t surprise me if he comes back.’

Which kind of makes yesterday’s article redundant. So, if you haven’t read it, don’t bother (although if you are still interested, I’m not saying you’re not allowed, and it will bump my figures up a bit). The manager does give the caveat that we shouldn’t expect too much too soon, saying that he won’t be singing and dancing down the street anytime soon. I wonder if he ever sang and danced down the street. People who do that are either a) Olly Murs or Gareth Gates in a pop video, b) people on a Saturday night in the middle of Bolton who will soon be enjoying a night’s rest in a certain building on Scholey Street (clue: hard beds, one sheet, no toilet facilities) or c) The Dagenham Girl Pipers in a duet with Tom Jones. However, if Fab does decide to come singing and dancing down the street, I would like to offer myself up as his agent. I know that he has apparently signed an agency up to deal with all the resultant press that he will undoubtedly do when he is ready, but this is a talent agency. I’m sure if he signs with me, we could conquer the world. Shows in Vega$, selling out the O2, a homecoming gig at T’Reebok. Imagine.

Bieber? Nothing.

I still feel the issue is that people are expecting too much too soon and that may put too much pressure on Fab to return. I know it’s not in the same league, but all we have to do is look at what happened to Stu Holden’s knee to realise that you can come back too quickly. These things need to be dealt with delicately and, whilst I’m sure the club won’t do anything to jeopardise Fab’s health, everyone has tread carefully with this issue.

And I have to start treading carefully with Twitter again. Last night, after Gary Cahill held of the Barcelona attack apparently single handedly, Bolton fans were all a quiver about how well he had played, how proud they were of him, etc. etc. I said that we should all remind ourselves that he doesn’t play for Bolton anymore. And it seems that I was in a minority of one.

We can all have the tendency to get over excited when something good happens to someone we like. And Gary Cahill is, by all accounts, a very likeable fellow. But what he did last night, he did for Chelsea, not Bolton. When he is picked for the European Championships, he will be selected as a Chelsea player, not as a Chelsea player who used to play for Bolton.

I’m very happy that someone who used to play for us is now playing at the highest level, but he isn’t the first ex Bolton player to play for Chelsea in a Champions League Semi-Final and whilst I know that he never agitated for a move during the two years of transfer speculation, there was never any guarantee that he was going to sign a new contract in the summer. The figure that we finally accepted for him was lower than we could have got in the summer and he went to Chelsea, a team that continually spank our behinds every time we play them.

I got the sense that a lot of people were vicariously living Bolton’s dreams through Chelsea last night. And we have to remember that Gaz was a member of the team that put us in the position that we are in. So while he will be trotting out at the Nou Camp next week, be happy for him by all means.

Just remember that we may be trotting out at the New Den next season.

Elsewhere, there is good news that LCY will be stepping up his training and joining the reserves this week. Again, this is a walk before you can run scenario and, with four weeks of the season left, it is very difficult to see what part he would play except maybe a cameo at Stoke and then only if our fate is decided before then. With the Gregg Wylde clearance edging ever nearer we don’t especially need a half fit LCY. I know that the temptation amongst some people would be to want the LCY of last season to appear magically like some Korean Wing Wizard and take apart opposition left backs because we know that is what he is capable of and the fear would be that if we are relegated we won’t see him again. But he would be no good for us in this state, so best to cross everything crossable and pray that won’t be the case.

Right, I see by the clock that my time is up and there are things to do and people to speak to. So, we will return tomorrow with a Swansea preview. Don’t choke on your croutons.

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