Coyle hails Blake 'character' (From Leigh Journal)

Coyle hails Blake 'character'

7:10am Thursday 1st July 2010 in Bolton Wanderers By Marc Iles

ROBBIE Blake’s presence will not only be felt on pitch at the Reebok next season, claims Owen Coyle.

The Wanderers boss knows only too well that by recruiting one of his former Burnley charges, he risks stirring a hornets’ nest that has barely settled down since his departure from Turf Moor in January.

But the manager believes that in 34-year-old Blake, he has signed a player with exactly the right credentials to enhance both his squad, and his dressing room.

“You can say he’s 34 and all that but he’s come here on a Bosman and he’ll bring the whole picture to this football club,” he told The Bolton News.

“Technically, he’ll pass the ball for fun. He can score goals – which I think is perfectly summed up by the one he got for me against Manchester United last season.

“On top of all that he’s a great lad, a bubbly character. He’ll be great for the younger players in the squad and provide extra competition for the senior players too.”

Blake has over 500 appearances in the Premier League and Football League to his name, having represented the likes of Bradford City, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest alongside two spells at Burnley, where he achieved fan-favourite status.

His move across Lancashire is unlikely to go down well with the supporters who had seen him play an instrumental part in the Turf Moor club’s rise to the Premier League last season.

But following the Clarets’ relegation, Blake found the offer of another season in the top flight hard an impossible one to ignore, and after turning down a move to the Scottish Premier League with Hearts, agreed terms on a one-year deal with Wanderers on Tuesday evening.

He will be announced officially today as a Whites player alongside Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov, and Coyle believes the double signing demonstrates the direction he wants the team to move in this season.

“Both Martin and Robbie are attacking players, flair players, and that’s something I like to see in my team,” he said.

“More importantly, it’s something the fans like, and while of course it’s important to get results, I think the fans need to be entertained as well – and these guys are entertainers.”