|
|
ACTUALITE |
07.04.2003
Okocha steals the show
Bolton boss Sam Allardyce paid tribute to Jay Jay Okocha after the Nigerian helped haul Wanderers clear of relegation trouble.
But Allardyce admitted the striker left him sweating at times.
Okocha made up for missing a first-half penalty by creating Bolton`s opener and he then thrilled the crowd with some outrageous skill and a series of neat flicks and tricks.
"I must I have been the only one watching him in the stand who was nervous," said Allardyce.
"What I liked about his performance was his ability to take extra responsibility after missing the penalty.
"He showed all his quality when we needed it the most and I thought we played with a lot of confidence throughout the team."
Allardyce believes Bolton are now in sight of securing their Premiership status as the win eased them four points clear of the bottom three.
"I think two wins will do us now," Allardyce said.
"That would take us to 41 points and no team has been relegated on that mark.
"It was a massive win for us today - a third successive victory and a third successive clean sheet.
"We are now enjoying our best ever run since returning to the Premiership and it has come at such a vital time."
City boss Kevin Keegan took the blame for his side`s defeat after they failed to bounce back from the thrashing by Chelsea two weeks ago.
"The buck stops with the manager," Keegan conceded.
"Teams playing like my team have played the last two games get managers the sack.
"I would like to see us being more professional and showing better effort.
"But at the end of the day you always carry the can as a manager - that`s the rule."
Keegan saw striker Nicolas Anelka squander two gilt-edged Chances, while his strike partner, Robbie Fowler, hardly got a kick.
"As a former striker myself, you thrive on service and rely on other people," he said.
"The service to them after the first 20-25 minutes was putrid.
"I will look at trying to change things because it is important we see this season through and start getting points again."
|
|
Hits: 1 | Source:BBC | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|