Ream, the boy next door, is ready for Reebok call
12:30pm Saturday 11th February 2012 in Sport By Marc Iles
TIM Ream will not be rolling out the welcome mat for Wigan Athletic if he makes his Wanderers debut today.
The United States international will be in Owen Coyle’s squad for the first time after wading through the red tape that delayed a £2.5million move from New York Red Bulls.
But Ream has wasted no time putting down roots in his new home town, snapping up a house with his wife Kristen within a stone’s throw of the Reebok Stadium.
And the defender hopes those home comforts can extend to this afternoon’s derby, where the Whites will be hunting for a crucial three points against one of their direct rivals in the battle against the drop.
“It’s an important game for us,” the 24-year-old said. “We have to go and play the way we are capable of. Up until the game at Norwich we’d had some good performances but we know a win against Wigan would be huge.
“There is no fear of relegation. I think that’s a product of the manager, what he brings, how he motivates us.
“It’s good to have that. Of course it’s a struggle for everyone being in the bottom three, fighting relegation.
“But you have to think positive, go out there and try to get results.”
Ream explained that his decision to swap the 24-hour glitz and glamour of New York for the quieter life in Horwich was actually made with his pets in mind.
“We looked at Manchester,” he said, “but we found a place behind the stadium so we’re going to live in Bolton. A lot of it was based on the dogs. We didn’t want to be going up in elevators and living in a tiny apartment.
“We found a good sized house with a yard for the dogs and a nice patio for us to sit out.
"We wanted a change of scenery so decided it was best to stay away from the big city.”
While Ream’s home life is now more settled after his big move, the centre half now has another task on his hands - living up to a big reputation forged in just two seasons of MLS football.
Soon after appearing on the scene at Red Bulls, head coach Hans Backe compared him to Rio Ferdinand.
And while Ream admits such praise might have been a little premature, he is intent on proving his worth now that he has been given a chance in the Premier League.
“That came as a bit of a shock,” he said. “I’d only been a professional for three weeks when he made that claim. So it was amazing to hear that. It’s definitely a good comparison for me to hear! I’ll take it as a starting point.
"I’d like to think I’m a player who is technically good, positions himself well, tries to win the ball cleanly and doesn’t put the team in bad positions with fouls.
"I’m quite quick, apparently. I’m not sure if we’ve done 100 metres yet but we’ve done sprint tests here and I’m told I’m top five of the team and I did them when I wasn’t fully fit. So I’m happy about that but I know I can improve on those times.”
* Tim Ream was speaking on behalf of 188BET, principal sponsor of Bolton Wanderers. To claim your free £25 bet, go to www.188bet.com.
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