Owen Coyle.

Maybe it's just me over thinking things of late but i had been thinking back to those super memories that the great Bruce Rioch gave us back in his superb reign in charge of our glorious club.
And i got to thinking that Owen Coyle is managing the club in much the same way as Rioch used to do, The players played well for Rioch as the wanted to do the best they could for him as he was such an infectious person and he installed a will to win as they were such a tight group who worked together for the greater good of the club much like the current crop of players do now, Coyle seems to be the same he gets the best out of the players by just being a superb gaffer and nice bloke, Having met Owen pre game once at the ground last year i cannot say enough nice things about the guy he is a real peoples person and you cannot help but buy into what he says and i only spoke with him for a few minutes.

This bunch of players remind me very much of the 1995 squad that Rioch took to the Premiership in Keith Branagan we had a no fuss keeper who did a very solid job every game and in Jussi i still believe on his day there is no better keeper in the top flight a real shot stopper, We had a solid hard working back line in 95 much like we have now Cahill and Knight work well together and compliment each other so well and Coyle really has in the past 18 months brough out the best in Zat Knight, These 2 have a a really good partnership now much like Stubbs and Bergsson did back in those days, In midfield when he is fit Holden is the best box to box player i have seen since Jason McAteer light up our team, Holden can tackle, Pass the ball superbly and can score some great goals and his partnership with Muamba in the early parts of last season was solid and he seemed to make Muamba more confident i look forward to Holden returning to partner Reo-Coker who i think together will be a midfield partnership who will help out the engine room of our team this coming season.
Alan Thompson was one of my favorite players back in the mid 90's and he was a really good crosser of the ball with his pace as well he was a superb all round player added to that the legend that was David Lee i though back then we had 2 speedy wingers who could run at players and cross a superb ball for our strikers, This season i hold hope high hopes for Martin Petrov to be that sort of player he has great pace, superb vision and can strike an amazing free kick i really feel with the right defender behind him and a more hard working defensive midfielder to cover for him when is in in more high up attacking positions we could see the real Martin Petrov this time round.
Chris Eagles is another player that excites me he has great pace and knows where the goal is, Coyle has worked with him before and knows how to get the best from him with 2 wingers with real speed and that are prepared to take on defenders i think we will really benefit from the crosses these 2 will whip into the box this season much like we did back in Riochs days with the wingers we had then.

Upfront back in the Rioch days we had a wealth of striking options we had big Mixu the targetman who held up play and could score the odd screamer, John McGinlay the goal poacher who was one of the most natural goal scorers i have ever seen play for us, And add to that the goals that the legend Owen Coyle added and the highly underrated Fabian DeFreitas we really had a wealth of talent in that department.
This is the only area that worries we at present Super Kev will still be out target man and yes he still does that job better than any other frontman out there his knock on's and lay off's this season will allow his partner who ever that will be to score goals look at Elmo and Sturridge they would not have scored the amount they did without Davies and his unselfish ways, Klasnic this season for me looks thinner and sharper than recent times but i am not sure he can last a full 90 minutes but i expect a higher goal haul from Klas this time that just leaves the burning question of who will be our striker that Super John the natural goal scorer to compliment our big target man?

All i know is there is a real belief in this squad much like the 95 squad a team not full of attractive household names but a team that will work hard for each other and a team that want to succeed for the boss, For me Owen Coyle is a old style football manager one who learnt from a great manager and someone who loves this club and someone who really wants his team to deliver for the fans.
I think we are a few players short of what could be another superb era for this club it is such a shame the injuries we have had as i believe both Lee and Mears would have played big parts this year but if we get SWP and that elusive striker i see this team working harder than ever for a very infectious likeable man Owen Coyle and this team will have that spirit of the 95 team never say die COYWM!