Eidur Gudjohnsen set for second spell at Bolton Wanderers

Eidur Gudjohnsen’s second coming at Wanderers will be confirmed this week, The Bolton News understands.

The Icelander will feature for the development squad against Middlesbrough tonight at Leyland before completing the formalities of a short-term deal at the Macron Stadium.

Free agent Gudjohnsen has toured some of Europe’s biggest clubs since leaving Bolton in 2000 but despite turning 36 earlier this year, has wowed staff and team-mates since returning for a trial three weeks ago.

Neil Lennon confirmed there are still a few details to be sorted before the striker’s contract is rubber-stamped but the indications are that he will be available for the squad which travels to Reading next weekend.

“If we can get him in he will bring a bit of class and creativity to what we are doing going forward,” he told The Bolton News.

“It would be good to have him and he’s still got plenty to offer. But he’ll be an impact player at the minute to start with.”

Craig Davies, the striker whose goal settled a fourth straight home win for Wanderers against Huddersfield Town on Saturday, cannot wait to see Gudjohnsen confirmed as a new team-mate.

And the Wales international thinks his influence could have a positive effect on the whole of Lennon’s squad.

“Yesterday in training he pulled me about something and gave me some advice,” he said. “I just think to myself ‘yeah, I need to work on that’.

“When it's coming from somebody like that, you're always going to listen. You don't answer back, you listen, because he knows what he's on about.

“I'm just happy to have a player of that calibre around.

“It's not just Lionel Messi (that he's played with), Iniesta, Xavi, Drogba ... he's played under great managers with great players. Ibrahimovic, the list goes on.

“Just listen to what he has to say and hopefully that will benefit me and other players.”

Davies admitted he woke up on Friday morning and watched a replay of Gudjohnsen’s overhead kick for Chelsea against Leeds in 2003 on his Instagram account.

“I told him he was the first thing I woke up to,” he joked.

“He's a great player. That sort of quality never fades. He could be 50 and he could still train and produce great touches.

“Hopefully he's going to be a great addition around the place and contribute a lot.”

Tonight’s game kicks-off at 7pm at the County Ground, headquarters of the Lancashire Football Association in Leyland.

Source

Has he been given a contract- or is this story being allowed to die quietly?

Apparently the contract is as good as signed - personally I think it's a waste of money.

He has experience no doubt but will he bring a lot to the table? I don't think so.

aaron_bwfc wrote:Apparently the contract is as good as signed - personally I think it's a waste of money.

He has experience no doubt but will he bring a lot to the table? I don't think so.

You utter bellend. Don't come on here slagging off club legends. Are you jealous of his flat stomach and six pack?

As the article says, give him a run against 'Boro tonight and see how he does.

However, if he misses a sitter from about two yards and fails to score in the match, we should get rid.

My prediction is that Trotter will put us ahead, but we'll end up losing 1-2.

You heard it here first.

What time's kick off?

Breadman wrote:As the article says, give him a run against 'Boro tonight and see how he does.

However, if he misses a sitter from about two yards and fails to score in the match, we should get rid.

My prediction is that Trotter will put us ahead, but we'll end up losing 1-2.

You heard it here first.

What time's kick off?

From what I've seen of him since he was at Spurs, I don't think he's got the legs - especially if Lennon wants to play a fast, pressing game. Still I'd like to see him given a go because I like him and I could easily be wrong.

It depends on the terms of the contract for me.

He's obviously not going to be on big money because we haven't got any, so as long as it's only a short-term thing, it shouldn't cost us much.

I'd stick him on the bench and use him to bolster the attack later on in games if it's tight and we're pushing on.

Don't bring a striker off for him, stick him on a bit deeper, where he can play the link up role and use his passing ability.

Nowt to lose really.

someone to stick on for 10 minutes up top.

I don't think Lennon sees him as a genuine starter but I might be wrong.

Let's be honest, it's just nice to see a big name come back to little old Bolton after 14 years.

Everything has been so boring on the transfer front for so long. Alright, not every Millwall/Palace/Cardiff/Boro reject we've had has been useless but did anybody ever buy a Bolton Evening News just to see if Dean Moxey had finally signed or buy a ticket for the Sheffield Wednesday match just to see Owen Garvan play his first match in a Bolton shirt?

Gudjohnsen might well be useless but we can at least enjoy the novelty of a popular old face coming back.

I'm really not at all sure this is a good idea. Players almost never do as well as you hope in a second spell at the same club. That said I still trust Neil Lennon's judgement so if he thinks Eidur can do a good job for us then I'll support it. But unless Eidur CAN do a good job NOW then I'd say leave well alone and keep the memories.

At the bare minimum Gudjohnsens experience is good for youngsters like Clayton.

bwfc1874 wrote:At the bare minimum Gudjohnsens experience is good for youngsters like Clayton.

A fair point but if that's all he's going to be good for then hire him as a coach because they're usually on less money than players. If he's going to get a player's wage then I think it should only be if Neil is convinced he's going to play regularly and perform to a good standard. We don't have the money for a "luxury" player who only comes on for a few minutes every other game or something along those lines. At least not for the sort of wages someone like Eidur will likely want.