JOHN McAtee is staking his strongest claim yet to be a regular starter at Wanderers – and that could be bad news for his former club Barnsley this weekend.
The enigmatic number 10 has played himself into form after starting three league games for the first time this season, much to the delight of head coach Steven Schumacher.
McAtee spent a successful season on loan at Oakwell before his move to Bolton but has since struggled to recapture the same consistency.
Despite being tipped for a loan exit in January, the 26-year-old responded with a string of encouraging displays which prompted Wanderers to reject bids from Barnsley, Bradford City and Lincoln City to take him until the end of the season.
“Over the last few games Macca has slotted into that number 10 position really well,” Schumacher told The Bolton News. “I think he has been excellent over the last three games and got an assist (against Wimbledon) with an excellent pass.
“He was great against Burton, not so much in the game before but on that night we just didn’t get him enough of the ball.
“Definitely in the last two games he has shown the quality he’s got.”
Ill-timed injuries have prevented McAtee from getting a proper first team run this season but with the former Luton Town man now fit and firing, Schumacher believes he can be a key man in the run-in.
“When Macca plays he gives you everything,” he said. “That’s one thing you can never hold against him,
“He gives you 100 per cent. Sometimes, his decision-making, he does crazy things. He's a bit maverick.
“But I've never felt once, since we've been here over a year, that he doesn't want to be here. He wants to play all the time, which so does everyone and he did play a lot back when we came in last season.
“He scored five goals in the first eight games we were here, he has played a part this year even though it has been stop-start for him because of injuries and falling out of the reckoning with other people.
“But he has always been someone who, if we can get him going and get a rhythm and play a number of games, who has got match-winning qualities.”
Wanderers expect to have Josh Sheehan back on Saturday after the Welshman missed the last couple of games with a calf injury.
A similar issue has been carried by new signing Johnny Kenny at Celtic and his availability against Barnsley is currently unknown.
Loan wingers Corey Blackett-Taylor and Rob Apter are likely to make their home debuts and fellow new signing Ruben Rodrigues could make the bench, albeit Schumacher has warned he will not be rushed in.
“He did a pre-season with his team in Brazil and a couple of behind-closed-doors friendlies, so we will take our time and get him right,” he said.
“The league finished in December so it will probably take us some time to get him up to speed but he can score goals, create things, has experience of getting promoted and knows the pressure, what it takes.
“He is at a good age as well. He's not like a really young one. He's one who has been around a little bit and knows this country.”
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