Muamba wants strength at Bolton

16 October 2012 08:17

Fabrice Muamba believes a strong managerial appointment will help his former Bolton team-mates return to the Barclays Premier League at the first time of asking.

Wanderers lie 18th in the npower Championship with 10 points from their first 11 games, and defeat at Millwall before the international break cost manager Owen Coyle his job.

"It's hard to see it happen to Owen but, as they say, this is football," he said. "People come and go, that's football life. If you're not doing the job up to the standards then someone will come in and do it for you."

He added: "Hopefully the chairman (Phil Gartside) and (owner) Eddie Davies will bring in someone who's very exciting and someone who comes in and makes sure the changing room is back to normality. Then hopefully we'll get promoted."

Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - now managing Molde in his native Norway - ruled himself out of the running for the vacant post on Monday, while former Republic of Ireland and Wolves boss Mick McCarthy and Portsmouth's Michael Appleton are among those who continue to be linked.

Muamba was back at the Reebok Stadium on Monday to launch Hearts and Goals, an initiative aimed at raising awareness around sudden cardiac arrests and committed to installing 500 new defibrillators in public places across Bolton and beyond.

The ex-England Under-21 midfielder admits to finding life without football frustrating, although his wedding at the end of this month and a book launch pencilled in for before Christmas mean he has plenty with which to keep himself occupied.

While on holiday this summer, the 24-year-old suffered a second heart scare when the mini-defibrillator fitted inside his chest administered an electric shock to correct an irregular heartbeat.

But having been warned about the possibility by his doctors, Muamba was relaxed about the situation.

He explained: "It just made sure it's working, so it's all right. It happened for 10 seconds and it just really hit me really hard, but there's nothing to worry about."

Source: PA