Sam Pleased With Fadiga Input

Last updated : 10 January 2005 By Mark Heys
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce has expressed his delight at that the fact that winger Khalilou Fadiga returned to first team action during Saturday's FA Cup win over Ipswich Town.

Fadiga has been out of the game for two months after having a defibrilator fitted to regulate his heartbeat. He played the full ninety minutes in the 3-1 win at Portman Road in a performance which pleased Allardyce.

"It is a great thing to give someone an opportunity to continue to play professional football. The only thing Khali and his wife want is for him to play. No-one would have given him a chance if I'd let him go."

The Bolton boss says that the club will monitor Fadiga's condition closely on a regular basis and beleives that the African ace has now put his recent health troubles behind him and has remained mentally strong.

"He is training every day and we will monitor the defibrillator on a regular basis. I felt I had to give him the chance and hopefully he will pay us back with performances like on Saturday.

"He has been great, otherwise there would have been no question of us ever even risking the chance of anything untoward happening to him. Mentally he has always been very strong because he has always wanted to carry on playing football."