Bogdan plots Latics downfall
7:00pm Friday 10th February 2012 in Sport By Marc Iles
ADAM Bogdan plans to be a party pooper and plunge his mate Ali Al-Habsi deeper into the relegation mire.
Just last weekend, the Hungarian stopper joined in with birthday celebrations for Al- Habsi’s five-year-old daughter Renaad at his family home in Bolton.
Tomorrow, he will welcome the Oman international back to the Reebok for the first time since he left for Wigan in a £4million deal, and attempt to cut the Latics well adrift at the foot of the Premier League.
“If I get picked it will be great to see Ali in the other goal,” Bogdan told The Bolton News.
“He’s a really good friend of mine, in fact I went to his daughter’s birthday party last Sunday.
“He’s been really good to me and we keep in touch every week, so it will be good to see him play, but most important to me is that I can reflect on how good it was after getting three points against a tough team.
“Of course, I’d like to see Ali have a good game, but not if it means we don’t get the win.”
Bogdan has started the last eight games in league and cup for Wanderers after seizing his opportunity when Jussi Jaaskelainen dropped out of the side with an injured thigh.
After last week’s disappointment against Norwich City, the 24-year-old accepts the pressure is on to rediscover the kind of form that lifted the Whites out of the bottom three in January.
“Everyone knows how big this game is, there’s no question about it,” he said.
“We’ve got to focus like we did in January and make sure we come out with three points.
“That was a good month. We played well against Liverpool and Arsenal but it didn’t happen against Norwich and we’ve got to do our best now to get back to those performances.”
When Coyle allowed Al-Habsi to leave for the DW Stadium, there was a degree of discontent among the Wanderers fans, who believed he was ready to succeed Jaaskelainen as the number one goalkeeper at the club.
And while Bogdan refuses to take his own position in the team for granted, it could well be the case this weekend that both of the Big Finn’s former understudies take to the field, while the master himself looks on from the bench.
“There was never a point where I thought – this is when I want to be number one,” Bogdan said.
“And to be honest, I’m not comfortable thinking like that. I’ve never really thought that far into the future.
“Me, Ali, Jussi, we all take this kind of thing in our stride. You do your job and try to stay in the team when you get your opportunity.
“It’s not been a case of thinking I’d end up here, or Ali and Jussi would end up there. We are professional goalkeepers and your mind is really only on playing each week.”
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