Lokomotiv Plovdiv Preview

By Mark Heys
September 14 2005

Sam Allardyce has promised small changes to the team as Bolton Wanderers face Bulgarian side Lokomotiv Plovdiv in their first ever UEFA Cup game at the Reebok Stadium tommorow evening.

Plovdiv finished third in the Bulgarian Championship last season and were league champions of their respective country just two years ago, so with that in mind Bolton know that they must give their continental opponents the maximum degree of respect going into this two-legged game or otherwise face the consequence of a potential early exit from the competition.

Allardyce could hand Bolton debuts to Japanese international Hidetoshi Nakata and former Southampton winger Fabrice Fernandes in this game as he looks to pick a side capable of juggling both league and cup commitments.

Defenders Radhi Jaidi and Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye both missed the goalless draw with Blackburn Rovers through injury and it remains to be seen whether or not they will be back to full fitness in time for the Wanderers European debut.

Vice captain Gary Speed remains extremely doubtful having pulled a hamstring in a training session on Wednesday and could miss out. Khalilou Fadiga is also missing as he has joined Derby County for a month.

Bulgarian coach Eduoard Eranosyan brings his Plovdiv team over to England minus the services of star player Martin Kamburov who is serving a suspension, but the goalscoring midfielder will be travelling to the UK with the rest of his team mates nevertheless.

Loko will be without recent signing Sasha Lazarevski as the Macedonian defender was not registered in time to take part in the game. Fellow new boys Nedyalko Hubenov, Radoslav Anev, Zoran Zlatkovski and Georgi Samokishev are also unable to face the Wanderers.

The Bulgarians have appointed a new club president as Mrs Maya Ilieva watched the 2-1 win against Beroe at the weekend. She replaces her late husband Georgi Iliev who was tragically killed last month following the preliminary round match against OFK Belgrade.

Bolton are sure to realish this momentus and historic occasion and will want to gain a positive result in front of their home supporters to take over to Bulgaria in a fortnight from now. Loko will have the added advantage of European experience but Wanderers must not let such a unique opportunity pass them by over the two games.

Back in 1993 Bolton played a handful of games over in Italy for the Anglo-Italian Cup competition but nothing will compare to them taking part in the UEFA Cup for the first time ever.

Everyone who supports the Wanderers wishes them well and hopes that they can make the necessary progression in a prestigious tournament that they have worked so hard to take part in.

BOLTON SQUAD: Nicky Hunt, Kevin Nolan, Bruno N'Gotty, Gary Speed, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Ivan Campo, Henrik Pedersen, Jay-Jay Okocha, Ricardo Gardner, Ian Walker, Kevin Davies, Radhi Jaidi, Hidetoshi Nakata, Jared Borgetti, Ricardo Vaz-Te, El-Hadji Diouf, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Fabrice Fernandes, Joey O'Brien, Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye, Tal Ben-Haim

PLOVDIV SQUAD: Vasil Kamburov,Minko Jilkov, Stoyan Kolev, Aleksandur Tunchev, Vladimir Djordani, Vladimir Ivanov, Krirl Kotev, Robert Petrov, Velko Hristev, Georgi Rusev, Daniel Georgiev,Ivan Krizmanic, Ivo Mihailov, Ilami Halimi, Krasimir Dimitrov, Nedqlko Kolev,Hristo Zlatinski, Boban Janchevski, Vladislav Zlatinov, Metodi Stoynev,Yavor Vundev