Kinkladze Fitness Key To Deal - Allardyce

Last updated : 05 March 2004 By Mark Heys
Kinkladze Fitness Is Key To Deal - Allardyce
Bolton Wanderers trialist Georgi Kinkladze will not be ready for first team action until next season, that was the word of the Trotters manager Sam Allardyce today after seeing the Georgian put in yet another starring performance for the reserves during Thursday's 1-0 defeat to Leeds United.


The former Manchester City, Ajax and Derby County playmaker is at the Reebok Stadium on an extended trial in a bid to convince Allardyce to give him a deal and although the Bolton manager has been impressed with the Georgian international he feels that the player is some way off the fitness levels of the first team.

"He's doing okay but he has been out of the game that long that I don't think it would be reasonable to think he could play any part this season. Georgi wouldn't be fit enough to compete at Premiership level. He would need to go through a full pre-season of six to eight or ten weeks because he hasn't had one" Allardyce told the Manchester Evening News

However the Bolton boss was staying open as to whether he would offer the 30-year old a contract.

"He is a player without a contract so he could turn out for us tomorrow if we wanted him to."