Coyle: Cahill set for new heights

Manager Owen Coyle believes Gary Cahill is destined for a greater stage after his double spurred Bolton on to a 3-2 win over Aston Villa.

Cahill’s strikes twice brought Bolton level at the Reebok Stadium against his former club, cancelling out goals from Darren Bent and Marc Albrighton before substitute striker Ivan Klasnic lashed home an 86th-minute winner.

A delighted Coyle said Cahill ‘could play for any top team in world football’, and that he did not expect to have the fringe England defender’s services for much longer.

“With his age, Gary is only going to get better. I believe he could play for any top team in world football. Gary could stand toe to toe with anyone,” Coyle told Sky Sports.

“There will be a time when Gary has outgrown this football club and when that time comes it will take good money but he will go with my blessing.”

“I will never stand in the way of anyone progressing. What Gary has to do between now and the end of the season is keep showing these top clubs what an unbelievable talent he is.”

“We certainly never played as well as we can today but what we have for everyone to see is a sense of togetherness, a real bravery and a courage that we’re never out of a game.”

Villa spurned several chances in front of goal, including an Ashley Cole miss from the penalty spot in the 70th minute.

Losing manager Gerard Houllier labelled the miss -which would have put his side 3-1 up – ‘a turning point’, and rued Villa’s profligacy in front of goal.

“We created so many chances we were cruising at one point and we could have been 4-1 or 5-1 up,” he said.

“I feel frustrated and disappointed but also a bit proud because taking the game to Bolton as we did was something special. We were maybe a bit naive against Cahill.”

“In football you are a lucky manager when you have a performance and a result. Today we had the performance but not the result. We created nearly a dozen chances.”