Home
Thibaud Verlinden is waiting to hear from Stoke City on whether he will stay with Wanderers beyond January.
The Belgian winger has been a hit since arriving at the UniBol on loan and created two of the three goals scored against Southend United on Saturday on his return to the starting line-up.
Keith Hill wants to extend the loan – which expires after the New Year’s Day game against Burton Albion – into the second half of the campaign.
But Wanderers are expecting Verlinden to return to the Potters for at least a couple of weeks so that new boss Michael O’Neill can check on how far he has progressed.
The 20-year-old went out on loan to German club St Pauli last season but did not get much game time. With 14 appearances under his belt at Bolton, he believes this experience has been a valuable one.
“Last year I played a bit in the Championship for Stoke, I don’t think the difference between the league is that much, so it’s been great for me to be in League One and be able to learn,” he said. “The difference from playing league and reserve football is so big. My advice to any young player is to get out on loan to do it because that’s how you learn the most, by playing games.
“There’s a lot of games left and in January and I don’t know what’s happening yet. It’s obviously up to Stoke and Bolton to agree or whatever they need to do so I can’t really say much because I don’t know myself, so we’ll have to see in January.”
Verlinden’s starting place has been far from guaranteed in recent weeks but the winger says he has enjoyed every minute playing for Hill and David Flitcroft.
“It’s been absolutely brilliant everybody’s been really good with me, from the players to the staff from the people who work at the club, it’s been really good,” he said.
“I’ve played a few games now in League One and it’s a good experience, Keith and Flicks have helped me a lot, it’s been hard but a really good experience.
“I’ve learned a lot, it’s not easy at times but playing against good teams and players who sit back and for me that’s been good to learn."
Source
The Belgian winger has been a hit since arriving at the UniBol on loan and created two of the three goals scored against Southend United on Saturday on his return to the starting line-up.
Keith Hill wants to extend the loan – which expires after the New Year’s Day game against Burton Albion – into the second half of the campaign.
But Wanderers are expecting Verlinden to return to the Potters for at least a couple of weeks so that new boss Michael O’Neill can check on how far he has progressed.
The 20-year-old went out on loan to German club St Pauli last season but did not get much game time. With 14 appearances under his belt at Bolton, he believes this experience has been a valuable one.
“Last year I played a bit in the Championship for Stoke, I don’t think the difference between the league is that much, so it’s been great for me to be in League One and be able to learn,” he said. “The difference from playing league and reserve football is so big. My advice to any young player is to get out on loan to do it because that’s how you learn the most, by playing games.
“There’s a lot of games left and in January and I don’t know what’s happening yet. It’s obviously up to Stoke and Bolton to agree or whatever they need to do so I can’t really say much because I don’t know myself, so we’ll have to see in January.”
Verlinden’s starting place has been far from guaranteed in recent weeks but the winger says he has enjoyed every minute playing for Hill and David Flitcroft.
“It’s been absolutely brilliant everybody’s been really good with me, from the players to the staff from the people who work at the club, it’s been really good,” he said.
“I’ve played a few games now in League One and it’s a good experience, Keith and Flicks have helped me a lot, it’s been hard but a really good experience.
“I’ve learned a lot, it’s not easy at times but playing against good teams and players who sit back and for me that’s been good to learn."
Source