Source: Team_Talk
Coyle wary of 'tough' Saints tie
Owen Coyle believes Bolton have been handed the toughest possible Carling Cup assignment by being sent to Southampton on Tuesday night.[LNB] Just three days after a successful trip to West Ham in the Premier League, Bolton are clocking up the miles once more on the first step towards what Coyle hopes will be a place at Wembley in March.[LNB]Quite aside from the length of the journey, the Trotters chief is wary of Southampton's ability.[LNB]Alan Pardew's men may have struggled for form so far this term but Coyle does not expect that situation to last long.[LNB]"It is probably the toughest tie we could have got," said Coyle. "Southampton are a big club and while I know they are in League One now, I truly believe by the end of the season, they won't be."[LNB]It means Coyle will select an experienced line-up this evening, even if a few senior stars, such as Jussi Jaaskelainen and Kevin Davies, will get a rest.[LNB]As the man who guided Burnley into the semi-finals two years ago - where they were unlucky to lose against Tottenham - and then saw how that run galvanised the Clarets, who were ultimately promoted through the play-offs, Coyle knows the benefits that can emerge from extended participation in a cup competition.[LNB]"I have always loved cup competitions and I have always believed they can work alongside a league programme," said Coyle, who is set to give a debut to Hungary-born 21-year-old keeper Alex Bogdan.[LNB]"You want to win every competition you enter.[LNB]"We showed that at Burnley. The Carling Cup run we had there galvanised us and took us on collectively.[LNB]"But over the course of that season, we played 61 games, so you do have to juggle things around a little bit."
