Coyle waits to see how Spurs return will affect players

Owen Coyle has admitted there is no way of knowing how his Bolton players will react to tonight’s return to White Hart Lane.

News of further improvement in Fabrice Muamba’s condition has offered plenty of encouragement. From Coyle’s amusing confirmation that Muamba had been well enough to start watching the Sunday morning edition of Match of the Day, only to fall asleep with his team-mates leading 2-0 against Blackburn, to the even more uplifting bulletin from the London Chest Hospital that the 23-year-old has been out of bed and eating, yesterday’s updates have been positive.

However, it remains to be seen whether that alone will insulate Bolton’s players from the mental problems that could be triggered by visiting the same ground on which Muamba suffered his cardiac arrest nine days ago, and entering the dressing room in which so many were in floods of tears as they feared the worst for their friend and colleague.

“Because Fabrice is getting better, that allows us to play the match,” said Coyle. “The great thing is that he is getting better. We will do our best, as we always try to do. Will it be emotional? Of course. But I can’t say how it is going to be until we are there.”

Coyle and chairman Phil Gartside will be part of a small Bolton delegation that intends to visit Muamba tomorrow, the first Wanderers representation since club doctor Jonathan Tobin revealed the midfielder’s heart had stopped beating for 78 minutes before medical staff finally managed to get it started. Such visits are crucial, according to the Bolton manager, for the morale within his squad. “Everyone would want to be there but that would be impossible,” said Coyle. “Fabrice’s recovery is paramount but the players who do go can filter back the news. That will help. Fabrice is not just a team-mate and a colleague. He is a dear friend to those lads.”

To that end, the latest statement on Muamba’s health provided a huge lift. “Fabrice Muamba remains in intensive care where his condition is serious but stable,” read the statement.

“He continues to make encouraging progress in his recovery. Over the weekend, he has been able to sit out of bed for a short time, watch television and has begun to eat. However, he will need to continue to be closely monitored for some time.”

“For all of us who were there on the Saturday, to think he could sit up and watch Match of the Day a week later is remarkable,” said Coyle. “I am led to believe he fell asleep when it was 2-0. I don’t know if he still thinks we won 2-0, but it is so great to know that, bit-by-bit, he is getting better, even if he still has a long way to go.”

The fact that a second successive FA Cup semi-final is up for grabs is almost coincidental. Muamba was part of the team demolished 5-0 by Stoke at Wembley last season. However, it is the former England Under-21 captain who will be uppermost in minds if a return trip is secured rather than thoughts of erasing that debacle.

“Over the last few days he has been able to take in more of the goodwill that globally he has been getting from people and the prayers and everything else,” Coyle added. “He wanted to thank everybody for that support. We have to make sure we continue that.”