Ricardo Gardner - did we get the most out of him?

[Malcolm Everett]

I was thinking earlier today that it is likely that Kevin Davies, Jussi and Gardner may all be leaving the club in a few months time, three players who have been with us for many, many years, been great servants to the club and with us for some fantastic times.
I still think back fondly of us signing Gardner after the 1998 world cup, Gardner looked like one of the most exciting young players at that world cup and when he scored the winner on his debut at WBA on a later summer evening, a game I was actually at, I thought to myself we have a right talent here.
My question is - did we manage to fulfill his potential in terms of his ability? He had bags of pace and could take a player on, could he have been a really top attacking wide player had we developed him more and played him as an attacking wide player? It seemed for a lot of his time at the club he was a left back and towards the end of his career a central midfielder. What do you think? 

[tomr]

His final ball was a bit lacking but i think he played well over the years,shame about the injuries.

[azreal88]

He didn't suit Sam's system as a left forward, so he played at left back.  Hard to say how good he could have been as an orthodox winger, but as a club we made good use of him.  Would have been better if not for his injuries, but that's life sometimes.

[DaveBWFC]

I was at that West Brom game too. If I remember correctly he scored about 1 minute after coming on. We all thought we'd signed the new Pele. He's done pretty well for us over the years and has been a great servant to the club. Injuries probably cost him another 100 games for us. I'd say we've had more than we could've hoped for from him. £1million well spent imo.

[Malcolm Everett]

What a game that was at The Hawthorns, probably my favourite ever game, it was just a brilliant atmosphere. That was probably my favourite ever Bolton team with the likes of Gunnlaugson, Blake, Bergsson, Frandsen, Jensen, Fish, etc.
I put a bet on soon after we signed Gardner that he would one day be world footballer of the year. I got 100/1.

[DaveBWFC]

What score was that game? All I can remember is Ricardo's goal.

[Malcolm Everett]

3-2 to Bolton. Blake and Gunnlaugson got the other 2 goals. Bergsson was sent off.

[DaveBWFC]

3-2 to Bolton. Blake and Gunnlaugson got the other 2 goals. Bergsson was sent off.

I can't remember any of that tbh.

[Manny]

Dave said injuries probably cost Gardner another 100 games for us and I agree. Up until 2 or 3 years ago, a fit Ricardo Gardner would have been a certainty on our team sheet.

I don't think we got as much out of him as we could have done but Allardyce made the decision to move him to left back a long time ago and that effectively ended his career as a winger. He didn't let us down there though and I thought he was the best left back in the league when we qualified for Europe in 2005.

I've said in another thread that it's time to let him go. He was a cracking player and he's been a great servant to the club but we can't keep putting up with his injuries. Early retirement is probably the decision he will have to make.

[Quiroga]

When we signed him, around the same time, City (then in the 2nd division) paid the same for Mark Kennedy.  At the end of that first season I thought they had got a far better deal, yet despite his injuries, Ricci's still playing Premier league football.  More than can be said of Kennedy.

[H. Pedersen]

He was ravaged by injuries, I don't know what else we could have done to "get the most out of him."  We'd kill to have a left back of his ability these days.

[aarons2009]

What ever happened to his testimonial? I am sure a couple of years back on the bwfc site that he was going to have one and wanted to have it like a carnival type atmosphere.

Cracking player and a decent bloke to on the 2 times I have met him.

I always remember speaking to a guy who knew the physio at the club when BSA was in charge and he told me that the physio was amazed Gardner ever made it as a footballer with how he his legs were built.

[Paul Comstive]

It's a shame we've not seen more of him this season ... which ultimately will be his last here.

He's been a great servant to the club.  A real, genuine nice fella.

Injuries, as said above have cost him a lot of games.  to have had 2 cruciate injuries so close together would've finished off a lot of players, so fair play to him for keep going.

I hope the club can keep him employed in some capacity in the future.

[largehat]

I hope the club can keep him employed in some capacity in the future.

In all honesty, I'm not sure I like the jobs for the boys mentality at the club. Let Ricardo apply for vacancies at the club like anyone else.

Because of this mentality, we have 3 goalkeeping coaches, and 2 kit managers, one of whom is Coyle's brother in law. Why does any club need two kit managers?

Jimmy Phillips was a crap player, but I doubt he got to be academy manager as a result of a fair and transparent recruitment process.

Bolton Wanderers has made Ricardo Gardner a multimillionaire on the basis of his ability to play football. Once he can no longer do that to the required standard and once his contract expires, we're not obliged to find these guys a cushy little number fannying about in a pair of shorts and a training top with their initials on it.

[Paul Comstive]

That's a fair point you make Largehat.

Of course, there should only be a job for him if there is a vacancy that needs filling and he's suitable for the job.

I wouldn't want him to be kept on PURELY for sentimental reasons ... just a I don't want Robbie Blake here as a dressing room jester.

[aarons2009]

I still find it hard to believe gartside and the people coughing up the cash even allows Coyle to keep Blake on board when we are struggling to raise funds for players.

Everyone knows he will never get a game but still he is kept at the club, unless he is working as a coach but from my knowledge he isn't.