Tug of war for Bostock (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Tug of war for Bostock

6:00am Tuesday 12th June 2012 in Sport By Andy Warren

SWINDON boss Paolo Di Canio is still confident of bringing former loanee Jay McEveley back to the County Ground, but admitted there are hurdles in the way of any potential deal for midfielder John Bostock.

The pair made their Swindon debuts in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final defeat to Chesterfield in March having joined the club on temporary deals, and both went on to play a part in Town’s League Two title victory.

Left back McEveley is available for free as he is at the end of his contract with Barnsley, while Swindon are pursuing another loan move for Tottenham midfielder Bostock, who still has another year to run on his deal at White Hart Lane.

Di Canio is continuing to work on a deal for McEveley, but believes the Premier League club’s desire for Bostock to spend pre-season with them could scupper any potential return.

“There are two different situations,” Di Canio said.

“With McEveley, we’re still in contact and I want to speak to him for different reasons. I want to keep him, he’s free, and there should be no problem with him.

“With Bostock the problem is only the pre-season because normally the top clubs want to keep the players for the pre-season and maybe give them a loan after the pre-season.”

Di Canio values pre-season preparation highly, and if a deal can be done he is keen for Bostock to prepare for the new campaign with the rest of his squad.

“To be honest, I don’t like this because now everybody knows the way we train and everybody knows for me it’s crucial - the first period of the season, where for 25 days you build not only the condition and the fitness but the way you play.

“Especially if you want to try to do something different with the player, to teach him how to prepare, to change maybe his position.

“If they don’t accept to give me the player before pre-season I find it difficult.

“Maybe in the future we can discuss about this but in my opinion I would have him before. In this moment we are talking with them and we’ll see what’s going on. I would like to have Bostock, I like him.”