Wanderers chiefs are cool over losing Reo-Coker (From The Bolton News) - The Bolton News
Wanderers chiefs are cool over losing Reo-Coker
9:10am Wednesday 23rd May 2012 in Sport By Marc Iles
PHIL Gartside insists Wanderers will be perfectly fine without departing midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker.
The 28-year-old quit the Reebok last week after triggering a get-out clause in his contract.
The departure of the man who arrived on a free transfer from Aston Villa last summer, had not been part of Wanderers’ plan.
But chairman Gartside reckons the ball-winner, who missed just one Premier League game last season, can be replaced as the club prepare for life in the second tier for the first time in 11 years.
“It was important that we kept what was going to be a Premiership squad together,” he said.
“The only disappointment is Nigel Reo-Coker decided to invoke his get-out clause.
“You move on and we’ll replace him with somebody else that’s going to be as good, if not better.”
The chairman also confirmed that winger Martin Petrov would be part of the first team squad next season as his contract was extended by 12 months because he featured in 30 games for the club last term.
“Martin has indicated that he is more than happy to stay with us,” he added.
Owen Coyle was also sure that there will be life after Reo-Coker, pledging to invest the player’s £40,000-a-week to good use.
The Wanderers boss is hoping to add one more midfielder to his ranks this summer, and has already declared his intention to shrug off any interest in Mark Davies from Newcastle United in a bid to keep his squad together.
But while Reo-Coker’s influence may well have been a valuable asset next season, the Scot believes he has enough quality to cover the loss, with the return of some of his injured players.
“If Nigel would have said he was staying, I would have said ‘great’ but he had that clause and he chose to use it,” Coyle told The Bolton News.
“Now he was at the top end of those salary earners, so that money can now be utilised cleverly in whatever way we can. When one door closes another can open very quickly.
“And you’d have to say that when Stuart Holden comes back fit, Darren Pratley gets right again after being ill at the end of last season, and with Mark Davies and Josh Vela in there as well, who’s to say whether it’s a good or a bad thing that Nigel went in the end?
“We might just add one player to that, as well. It’s happened and now we’ll move on quickly.”
Drogba: Its Torres time to shine - Football
Published: 23 May 2012 - 07:17:00
Didier Drogba maintains next season will see the best of Fernando Torres at Chelsea as the Ivory Coast striker prepares for life after Stamford Bridge.
The 34-year-old announced he was leaving the club whom he helped win the Champions League in Munich to bring the curtain down on a trophy-laden spell in west London. Spain striker Torres may feel he has had to play second fiddle to Drogba since his £50m move from Liverpool 18 months ago, but the veteran is in no doubt who will be the new goal king of Stamford Bridge.
"It has been difficult for him, but he has showed he is the man. Next season is going to be his season and I will try to speak to him," said Drogba. "We have a good relationship. We don't understand why we didn't play together more, but that's the past. Torres is the future."
Drogba - signed from Marseille for £24million in 2004 - is now expected to join up with former Blues team-mate Nicolas Anelka at Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua in a lucrative free transfer.
It remains to be seen who will take over team affairs, with Chelsea set to wait until Roberto Di Matteo's contract expires at the end of June before deciding on the Italian's future after the interim manager delivered an FA Cup and European Cup double.
Drogba admitted had Chelsea not won the Champions League, delivered with his decisive penalty in the shoot-out, then he might have been tempted to stay for one more crack at Roman Abramovich's 'Holy Grail'.
Speaking to Radio Five Live, he said: "I think winning the game was the key. Not me scoring the penalty. Winning the game was the turning point, that's why I have decided to say goodbye.
"We made the story together and I want people to remember that. This is the best time to move on. Yes, there's a chance that if the result was different, maybe I would be here.
"We were talking for many weeks, but the turning point was based on the fact I won everything I could and scored in most of the finals we have played, trying to make a difference. I hope everyone will understand. Everything I did was for the fans and I hope they understand."
Drogba added: "Leaving Chelsea in any case would be difficult, but now even more. It is impossible, Chelsea is in my heart. My blood is blue and my heart even more so."
0 Responses to "Wanderers chiefs are cool over losing Reo-Coker (From The Bolton News) - The Bolton News"
Post a Comment