FIRST impressions have been encouraging but Wanderers fans have still to see the best of Vincent Candela.
The former France international has adjusted quickly to the demands of the English game, since arriving at the Reebok from Roma in January.
Keen in defence and comfortable on the ball, he looks every inch a player who has spent nine seasons in Italy's Serie A.
He has also shown the versatility that comes from being a right-footed left back.
He occupied the number three berth in the FA Cup win against Fulham then switched sides after Nicky Hunt was stretchered off at Newcastle.
His left-side alliance with Ricardo Gardner looks particularly promising.
But he has been warned he faces some tough competition, if he wants to convert his five-month stay into a more permanent deal.
"It's nice when you know there is an awful lot more to come from Vincent than we have already seen," Sam Allardyce said in anticipation of what is still to come.
"But the big problem he's got is that it's got to come quickly because he's got to compete against Nicky Hunt, Ricardo Gardner and Anthony Barness, who is hugely unlucky to have been left out of the starting line-up after what he's done in previous games.
"Vincent's got some stiff competition that he's got to fend off.
"He's got the shirt now - but he's got to make sure he keeps it."
Many players from abroad take time to get into the swing of Premiership football, especially when they have been out of the first team picture, as Candela was at Roma. But, despite his lack of match practice, Allardyce is not surprised that he has settled so well - as Youri Djorkaeff fitted in when he first arrived on the Reebok scene.
"The French lads have been very good at adapting to the English style, probably better and quicker than most," the manager said.
"But when you've played in France, Italy and in World Cups - like Youri did before him - the whole life experience helps you adapt more quickly.
"We haven't seen the best of him, not by any stretch of the imagination, because he has still to get more match fitness and a lot more comfortable.
"Once that comes, we'll see an awful lot more."
Allardyce says it is too soon to say whether he will offer Candela a new contract in the summer, but he isn't even sure that the Musketeer will want to stay.
"Rome - the valleys, the hills and the lakes might be much more tempting than the snow we've been having in Bolton," the manager added.
"But I'm sure the football will keep him here."
Candela and Gardner had been gearing up for a duel with Shaun Wright-Phillips in Monday night's derby at Manchester City. But the England winger has been ruled out with a torn cartilage, eliminating one of the major threats to Wanderers' hopes of avoiding a second successive Premiership defeat.
"When we played there last time, Shaun gave Ricardo the runaround," Allardyce said, recalling last season's 6-2 defeat at Eastlands. "Ricky's not slow but he must have thought he was chasing the Roadrunner."
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