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FABRICE MUAMBA was “devastated” to see Owen Coyle sacked by Bolton.

I’m so sad Bolton sacked Owen

By ANTONY KASTRINAKIS

The Reebok boss paid the price for Trotters’ dreadful start in the Championship.

But Muamba admitted: “I was obviously devastated to see he was going.

“Football is a results game and you get paid and picked if you play well. If you don’t, you get out of the team.

“For players it is the same as a manager. You stay in the job as long as the boys are performing for the team.

“I can understand where the club came from, but he did a great job for the club and I am grateful to him.

“But I am sure the chairman will bring someone in to get promoted because we need to get promoted.

“You make changes and sometimes that’s good, sometimes it’s bad. We just have to wait and see how the club react.”

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside set a target of bouncing straight back into the Premier League after the club were relegated in May.

But Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Millwall left them 18th in the table with just 11 points from 10 games and spelt the end of Coyle’s three-year reign.

Muamba, 24, formed a strong bond with Coyle as he recovered from a cardiac arrest at Tottenham in March.

The Reebok manager was by Muamba’s side as the former England Under-21 midfielder won his battle for survival, but then had to retire in the summer.

Muamba added: “Owen was very supportive to me.

“If you look at the start of the season, the guys have not been playing particularly well and the results have not been up to the standards we thought with the players we’ve got in the team.

“I’ve only seen Owen about three times since I’ve been out of hospital, but we had a conversation about everything. He was doing his part as a manager and as a father figure in the changing room.

“You always want to make sure your son is looked after in a good manner and he did that ever so well.”

Muamba’s contract has 18 months to run and he will take up an ambassadorial role next season. But he will NOT move into management.

He added: “It’s too stressful because you’re always talking and your heart is always beating hard. I’ve already had a problem with my heart and I don’t want to cause it any more.”

Muamba also admits he gets frustrated watching matches — which is why he rarely goes to the Reebok.

He added: “I have only been to three games this season. At weekends I take my three-year-old son Joshua swimming to take my mind off everything.

“Joshua knows daddy was poorly and he knows exactly what happened to daddy. He’s OK now.”

Muamba was yesterday presented with a Brazil shirt by Samba legend Ronaldo at the Leaders in Football conference at Stamford Bridge.

And he admits he is just enjoying some time off.

He said: “I have just been enjoying life.

“I have been spending time with family, friends and catching up with a lot of people. Doing things I wasn’t able to do when I was playing. I have time to do it now.”

 

 

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