WHILE Wanderers race to save Gary Cahill’s season, Owen Coyle insists there is still hope without his defensive lynchpin.

Monday’s shock revelation that the centre-half could miss out on the climax of the campaign has now given way to hope that he may yet return before May.

A second opinion is now being sought as the club explore every avenue possible, including alternative treatments.

But in the meantime, the Wanderers boss is confident that in Andy O’Brien, Sam Ricketts and Danny Shittu his squad still retains enough defensive quality to provide a base for their fight against relegation.

“We’d love to have Gary available — and not just ourselves, but England as well — such is his quality,” Coyle admitted.

“But the fact is, we will be without him for now. We’re looking at different avenues and we’ll wait and see what comes of them.”

“Injuries happen to everyone. And I’m happy with what we have got.”

O’Brien has shaken off a minor groin problem to take his place in Coyle’s plans for Sunday’s FA Cup game against Spurs, and Shittu is also back in contention after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Ricketts deputised at centre-half alongside Zat Knight in the 2-0 defeat at Manchester City on Tuesday night, where Wanderers produced a rather mixed bag defensively.

And with the experienced head of O’Brien now back in contention after a minor groin strain, Coyle has got options.

“Andy O’Brien could have played against Manchester City but I was reluctant to do so because he’d come off on Saturday and if that had developed into a strain then I might have lost him,” he told The Bolton News.

“Sam Ricketts played very well, we have got Danny Shittu there and Andy, so we know we have lads that can play.”

Another option available to the Wanderers boss is to bring in a free agent.

Since Cahill’s injury became public, Coyle claims he has been contacted by a number of agents looking to capitalise on his lack of defensive numbers — and the Glaswegian has not ruled out a deal if the right man comes along.

“If there is an outstanding free agent out there then we’ll look at it,” he said.

“I have been offered one or two already but with all due respect, they become free agents for a certain reason. The ones I have been offered are, in my mind, not good enough for the level we are at in the Premier League.”

Despite backing his squad to cope with Cahill’s absence, Coyle is keen to leave no stone unturned in his efforts to get the 24-year-old back in contention for both Wanderers and a place in Fabio Capello’s England party for the World Cup. And he claims there have been some encouraging signs, both from the club’s medical men, and the young defender himself.

“He’s had some scans to check out the other side and make sure everything else, body-wise, was okay,” explained the Wanderers manager.

“They have been positive, so that’s a very good sign.

“I spoke to him before the game and mentally he’s in the right place, given the disappointment and everything else.”