I will fill Cahill's boots - Ream
4:50pm Friday 27th January 2012 in Latest By Marc Iles
TIM Ream has made no secret of his intention to set the bar high, even though he has yet to kick a ball in anger for Bolton Wanderers.
The ink was still drying on the defender’s contract when he met with the press at Euxton yesterday, shortly after being confirmed as the most expensive defender in MLS history thanks to his long awaited £2.5million move from New York Red Bulls.
There has been no end of trials and tribulations in the 24-year-old’s transfer across the pond, not least the little inconvenience of his marriage to college sweetheart Kristen Sapienza, a consequent cancelled honeymoon in Tahiti, and a work permit hearing that went right down to the wire.
Given that he was about to head straight back home to New Jersey to pick up his newlywed wife and newly-stamped passport, you might forgive Ream for looking flustered.
But it was with a calm assurance that the 24-year-old chatted about his plans to not only step into the recently-vacated boots of England international Gary Cahill, but to fill them completely.
“There’s pressure, of course,” he said. “Gaz is a great player, he’s been here for a while and done great things for the club.
“I’m excited to be able to step in and replicate what he’s done, even try to go above and beyond that.
“At the same time you do have that added pressure and that is good for a player.”
Most Wanderers fans won’t have seen much of Ream first hand, but asked to sum himself up, the St Louis-born centre-half made a compelling case to suggest he could follow Cahill’s successful path.
“I like to be calm and composed on the ball,” he said. “I like to be in the right spots and read the game.
“I’m good with the ball at my feet and very technical for a centre half. I do like to bring the ball out and start attacks from the back, finding those little outlet passes that free guys up.”
Ream had spent a week on trial with West Brom before a similar try-before-you-buy spell with Wanderers in December. But he left Bolton at Christmas knowing this would be his preferred destination in the January transfer window.
“I was already of the mindset that I wanted to play in the Premier League,” he said. “It was just a case of when and where I would be given the opportunity.
“I hadn’t really made up my mind until I came to Bolton and talked with the manager throughout the week. He was really positive and that’s why I really wanted to push to come here.”
Ream has passed his first big test, convincing his wife of just one day to give up an 11-day trip to sun-kissed Tahiti to sample the sub-zero temperatures on Winter Hill every other Saturday.
“She understands what it takes to be a footballer,” he said.
“Luckily for me she supports what I do, and even though you might not like the decisions you make, that’s life. It’s not always going to be happy go lucky.
“She enjoyed playing and she’s probably a bigger critic of my game than anyone else.
“And she knows what she’s talking about.”
click2find
