8:10am Friday 3rd July 2009
By Marc Iles
CHRIS Evans has predicted that Wanderers fans will finally see the best of Fabrice Muamba this season.
Encouraged by his performances for England Under-21s at the recent European Championships, the Whites assistant boss admits the industrious midfielder has a debt to pay after an inconsistent first campaign at the Reebok.
Muamba featured in every game last year under Gary Megson, yet failed to get on the scoresheet in 33 league starts.
The 21-year-old claimed in an interview with The Bolton News in May that he wanted to use his international excursion as a springboard to improve his club form, sentiments echoed by Evans, who believes the youngster will benefit from his work over the summer.
“The European Championships were good for him,” he said of Muamba’s four games in Sweden, where he helped Stuart Pearce’s side finish as runners-up to Germany.
“He got away, got some fresh air in his face, and played at a really good level. It has taken some of the pressure off his young shoulders.
“We now expect him to come back and use the success he has had with England to the benefit of Bolton Wanderers because our priority is what he does in a Bolton shirt.
“There were times last season where he did very well but equally there were some where he could have played a lot better.
“He got into some good goalscoring positions and now he needs to start reaping some reward from the effort he is putting in.
“The manager has showed confidence in him because he expects big things.
“It is an achievement to have played as many games as he did, at his age, in the Premier League.
“But we think this is the time when he will become a man and will judge him on what he does this season.”
Muamba earned widespread praise for his performances for England, not least against Spain in the group stages.
Although the competition ended in disappointment, a 4-0 defeat in the final in which Muamba was substituted halfway though the second half, Evans reckons the experience of a major tournament can help him continue his progression.
“What people often don’t take on board about Fabrice is that is 21 years old; he is only a young lad,” said the Welshman.
“Players progress at different rates. We saw Gary Cahill come in having not played a lot of Premier League games and take to it like a duck to water. He got into the side and, to the delight of everyone here, into the England set up this summer.
“Fabrice has played a lot of football in his young career and the manager has shown a great deal of faith in him. He has been allowed to make his own mistakes and gain experience.
“It’s well documented, especially with younger players, that everything doesn’t happen for them from day one when they move to a new club.
“It is usual to see them calm down in their second season and I think that will happen with Fabrice.”
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/trade_directory/