HENRIK Pedersen has warned Wanderers to be on guard against their next unpredictable pre-season opponents FC Vestsjaelland.
Whilst the sparse 10,000 seater Harboe Arena will not be as luxurious venue as their previous outing at Brondby, the former Whites front man believes they could be just as tricky to beat.
Vestsjaelland are one of Denmark’s smallest top flight clubs and survived relegation last season by employing an uncompromising style that Pedersen says Wanderers fans might have identified with.
“They stayed up by being stubborn, drawing a lot of games, a bit like us when Sam Allardyce was manager,” he told The Bolton News.
“Every free-kick, every throw, would be put into the penalty area and fought for and there would be a lot of long balls from the back.
“That’s fine – it helped Bolton survive too – but it will be interesting to see if they have changed this summer.”
New manager Mikael Hansen replaced Ove Pedersen a couple of months ago and has pledged to change the direct style.
“He said he wants to play a bit more football and maybe go for a more attractive style,” added Pedersen. “I don’t know how many players he has brought in but to change it right away might be difficult.”
Vestsjaelland have no household names but some of the players to look out for are left-back Michael Lumb, who has experience in the Russian Premier Division with Zenit and the Bundesliga with Freiburg and Nigerian striker Edward Ofere, who scored five goals at the end of last season to help the club stay up after his arrival from Trelleborg.
Another of Wanderers’ former Great Danes, Michael Johansen believes the loss of coach Pedersen will be a big blow for Vestsjaelland.
“They are not even close in terms of standard compared to Brondby,” he said.
“Last season they had a very good coach and they only just survived in the best league here in Denmark.
“They haven’t got a big budget and had to bring in a lot of players as make-dos.
“They haven’t got a lot of experience of European football or playing against foreign sides so it will be a big test for them.
“But they are at a good stage of their pre-season so it won’t be an easy game for Bolton.”
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