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Right now it’s a good time to be David Wheater.
And even though his least favourite time of year is fast approaching, the Whites’ fan favourite is more than optimistic about his side’s chances next season.
Miserly in defence and prolific in attack this term,Wheater swept the board in the player-of-the-year awards, winning the PFA Fans’ League One player-of-the-season prize and named in the PFA League One Team of the Year, in addition to his club’s player and players’ player prizes.
He became almost the poster boy in the wake of promotion, his own celebrations around the town turning up on social media time and again.
“Nah, people think I didn’t go home for a fortnight but it was just two nights out and there were loads of photos and videos going about,” he insists.
And after putting his signature to a new one-year contract and banishing the back problems that hampered his career in recent years, Wheater says he is fitter and hungrier than ever to continue on Bolton’s upward trajectory.
“It’s always good to get a new deal signed and out of the way,” he told The Bolton News. “It means you can concentrate on keeping fit and getting ready for the hard work of pre-season.
“Last year I had a few options but I said at the time I never wanted to go anywhere else and I wasn’t thinking I’d played my last game for the club.
“The decision to re-sign was a lot easier than last year, we had a great season and we ended it on such a high, so we’re excited about what could happen next. I’m feeling good, I haven’t been injured for about a year and a half so I think it’s all sorted now.
“I’ve been working with a personal trainer, he helped me get straightened out and it’s the same guy I was training with when I hadn’t signed a contract this time last year, but staying clear of injury I’ve nothing to think about other than keeping fit ahead of pre-season.
“It’s important to get that hard work done before the season, but it’s the worst time of the year by far. It is horrible, pre-season.
We all get given plans to follow over the summer, mainly going for bike rides and doing runs but it doesn’t matter how hard you work or what you do, it’s always hard when you go back in.”
A necessary evil, the pre-season programme can make all the difference to a footballer, and missing the rigours of toiling away in boiling weather, even in the North West, could make or break a campaign.
And now he has hit 30, the still-sprightly centre-back is keen to make a bid to take the club back to the Premier League.
“I don’t see why we shouldn’t be aiming for anything other than promotion this season,” he said. “If we can re-sign some of the lads from last season and add some more quality to the group we’ve got to believe we have a chance. The gaffer won’t allow us to aim for anything else anyway.
“He has always made sure our heads were right, from the first day he came in. He didn’t let us get too down or get carried away, he’s very good at man-management, he transformed the place.”
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And even though his least favourite time of year is fast approaching, the Whites’ fan favourite is more than optimistic about his side’s chances next season.
Miserly in defence and prolific in attack this term,Wheater swept the board in the player-of-the-year awards, winning the PFA Fans’ League One player-of-the-season prize and named in the PFA League One Team of the Year, in addition to his club’s player and players’ player prizes.
He became almost the poster boy in the wake of promotion, his own celebrations around the town turning up on social media time and again.
“Nah, people think I didn’t go home for a fortnight but it was just two nights out and there were loads of photos and videos going about,” he insists.
And after putting his signature to a new one-year contract and banishing the back problems that hampered his career in recent years, Wheater says he is fitter and hungrier than ever to continue on Bolton’s upward trajectory.
“It’s always good to get a new deal signed and out of the way,” he told The Bolton News. “It means you can concentrate on keeping fit and getting ready for the hard work of pre-season.
“Last year I had a few options but I said at the time I never wanted to go anywhere else and I wasn’t thinking I’d played my last game for the club.
“The decision to re-sign was a lot easier than last year, we had a great season and we ended it on such a high, so we’re excited about what could happen next. I’m feeling good, I haven’t been injured for about a year and a half so I think it’s all sorted now.
“I’ve been working with a personal trainer, he helped me get straightened out and it’s the same guy I was training with when I hadn’t signed a contract this time last year, but staying clear of injury I’ve nothing to think about other than keeping fit ahead of pre-season.
“It’s important to get that hard work done before the season, but it’s the worst time of the year by far. It is horrible, pre-season.
We all get given plans to follow over the summer, mainly going for bike rides and doing runs but it doesn’t matter how hard you work or what you do, it’s always hard when you go back in.”
A necessary evil, the pre-season programme can make all the difference to a footballer, and missing the rigours of toiling away in boiling weather, even in the North West, could make or break a campaign.
And now he has hit 30, the still-sprightly centre-back is keen to make a bid to take the club back to the Premier League.
“I don’t see why we shouldn’t be aiming for anything other than promotion this season,” he said. “If we can re-sign some of the lads from last season and add some more quality to the group we’ve got to believe we have a chance. The gaffer won’t allow us to aim for anything else anyway.
“He has always made sure our heads were right, from the first day he came in. He didn’t let us get too down or get carried away, he’s very good at man-management, he transformed the place.”
Source