Keegan and Reyna show support for SWP

Last updated : 20 October 2003 By Ben Collins

"You have to praise him for his ability," said Kevin Keegan. "The finish for the first goal was wonderful. He was able to get it over the goalkeeper and keep it below the crossbar. That is not an easy skill on the run."

"He got great power on the second goal and I thought he should have had another touch on the ball before shooting, but he knew what he was doing."

Just six minutes later the diminutive winger received his marching orders after a late chalenge on a Bolton defender, but Keegan believes the referee made the right decision.

"He got booked for taking his shirt off when celebrating and then a straight red card for a challenge that probably looked a lot worse than it was because as he turned I don't think he saw Simon Charlton."

"I don't think the referee had much choice the way it panned out, perhaps he could have given him another yellow and then a red card so he would only miss one match," added Keegan. "That would have suited us, but I think, strictly within the rules, the referee got it right."

Keegan now hopes SWP continues his goalscoring form: "He should be getting eight to ten goals a season with his ability. I haven't set him that target but it is one he should be setting himself.

"He gets in there a lot and against Bolton his finishing was top class. But sometimes he snatches at them and he pulls them across the goal. He is a wonderful player and we will miss him when he sits out those three games."

 - Claudio Reyna, City's last scorer on Saturday with his first for the club, doesn't see any reason why the England U21 international won't progress into the senior squad.

"England will need a new generation after Euro 2004 and I'd be very surprised if Shaun wasn't part of it. He is a very good player and such a talent going forward. Some people say that he doesn't score enough goals, but he scored two great efforts against Bolton. 

"He is a huge talent and I can see him improving all the time because he has a good head on his shoulders and he wants to learn," added Reyna. "Some youngsters make the breakthrough very early such as Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, but they are few and far between and both those guys are rare talents.

"But games and experience will help Shaun develop and if he does well in this league, there is no reason why he won't do well for England because international football is not as tough as the Premiership."