By Mark Heys
November 11 2005

Bolton veteran Gary Speed has called for solidarity in January as a number of the Trotters first team players will be away on African Nations Cup duty with their national teams. The 36-year old feels that everyone who remains in the squad must stick together to keep Wanderers at the top of their game when the likes of El-Hadji Diouf, Jay-Jay Okocha and Radhi Jaidi are all away from the domestic scene and playing for their countries in the tournament.

Speed is under no illusions about the difficulties that the absence of such players could pose and has called for those that remain to work harder during a critical period in Bolton's season.

"It's a big challenge and the players that are left are going to have to make some personal sacrifices. The manager has bought wisely and we have a strong squad at the moment, we work hard behind the scenes to make sure that stays the same.

"We are going to miss some players so it is vital for the rest of us to keep fit. We have to make sure the whole of January we are concentrating on and off the pitch to make sure it does not hurt us as much as it could do."

Khalilou Fadiga and Abdoulaye Faye are expected to join the likes of Diouf, Okocha and Jaidi in representing their national teams in the competition that is held every two years.