THIERRY Gale plans to work hard on his ‘weaknesses’ and prove himself as a Championship player at Wanderers next season.
The winger held up his hands after his first campaign in England, admitting the physicality of the league provided a tougher challenge than he had expected when he arrived last summer from Rapid Vienna in Austria.
By his own estimation, his work for far for Wanderers has been “pretty good” but the 24-year-old maintains that he has plenty more left to show, and is excited about the prospect of doing it at a higher level of football.
Speaking to The Bolton News, he said: “I thought I had a pretty good season, you know, it was amazing having all those fans behind me.
“But I know there were difficult times too, in January, I had never played in January before because there was always a break. So, it was hard to get accustomed to it but I tried hard and I think it was OK.
“I need to work really hard in pre-season now and get back up to my best shape because I do feel like I have a bit more to offer.
“My objective was to score 10 goals, I got seven, which is OK, but I don’t think I was my very best. I wouldn’t say that, I think I can go further, 100 per cent.”
Gale has no doubt what part of his game needs to improve against the added pace and power in the Championship.
“My defending, definitely,” he said. “I think that is the step for me.
“It is all about learning and I think when I came to England I didn’t know that I would have to defend so much
“So, that was a bit hard on me, you know what I mean? It showed (in the play-off final at Wembley), because Stockport was just putting all the long balls on me. I tried you out. I didn't know it was my weakness.
“You can learn from that. You have to build and learn and I will do that.”
Gale plans for a break in Miami and then a trip home to Barbados before pre-season begins but he does not expect the memories of Wembley to fade any time soon.
“I don’t think it is sinking in yet – maybe I’ll cry later, I don’t know,” he said.
“It's a bit weird for me because it's the first time, you know what I mean? Yeah. But I'm happy. That's all I can say.
“To be able to wrap the flag around me and show support to everyone back home, they all support me, it was a great thing to be able to do. I don’t know when this feeling will stop. I hope never!
“Everyone in the dressing room, promotion was their goal. Just get promoted, so to do it, is amazing.
“Especially with all the late goals, with all the games we lost, and then we come back, you know what I mean? So, this is the best way. And then to come a minute in the final, 4-1. Oh, my God.”
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