PAUL Bosvelt has taken on extra training to ensure he holds down his place at the heart of Manchester City's midfield.
Having finally managed to work his back into Kevin Keegan's plans following a disrupted start to the season, Bosvelt is now finishing his games stronger than he did when he first stepped on to the Premiership roller coaster.
Surprised by the way the game is played in England, the Holland international admitted that he found it hard to fathom just how quickly football is played in the top-flight in this country.
Bosvelt also found it difficult to come to terms with the fact that boss Keegan did not consider him to be an automatic first choice earlier in the season. Now, though, things are much better and he reckons this is because he strips fitter.
"I spent 15 years in Holland and in all that time, I was a regular in the first-team. So it has been difficult for me to have to spend so much time out of the team this season," said Bosvelt.
"It takes time to get used to the football in England and I have found that a problem. When you play for so long in one country, then it obviously takes time to adjust to the new way of playing.
Pace
"That is why I have asked for extra training to get myself up to speed. The pace is so much different in the Premiership, but I am just lucky that I am able to speak English so well."
Keegan certainly feels that Bosvelt is now showing his true colours and is delighted that the man whose signature he chased long and hard in the summer is delivering on a regular basis.
"I think Paul's performances over the last three or four games have been very, very good," said the City chief. "When you don't win games, good performances can get lost because people don't take notice of losing teams.
"But I am really pleased with how he is settling in. I think he has got up to Premiership pace. When he first came here, he had only been used to the pace of Dutch football, which, I assume, is nowhere near as quick as the Premiership."
Bosvelt, meanwhile, has been left flummoxed by City's current run of just one win in the last 16 matches, but admits he has been impressed with the way supporters have coped with the stress of so many winless games.
Chance
This afternoon, the Blues have a perfect chance to re-ignite the fire behind their season against Tottenham in the FA Cup and the former Feyenoord star reckons it also presents a good opportunity to bury the Eastlands hoodoo.
"It's fair to say that we have had some poor results recently, but we just need to sort out our concentration and stop giving away leads in big matches," he said.
"But I can't understand why we are not getting the results we should be getting at home. It's difficult for me to say what the problem is because I never played at Maine Road.
"Moving to a new stadium brings bigger expectations to a club and maybe that is what is happening. The fans are giving us great support, though, and that is something that wouldn't have happened in Holland.
"If Feyenoord had gone through the sort of run we have had, it would be hell. The FA Cup is very important for us because it gives us the chance to get into Europe."
What's your verdict on Bosvelt? have your say
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"he had only been used to the pace of Dutch football, which, I ASSUME, is nowhere near as quick as the Premiership."
hmmmm, what does that tell us about KK's transfer dealings again when he is interested in a player?
Paul Bosvelt is starting to show his class now and acquitted himself really well once more in todays game against Spurs, where together with Claudio Reyna they controlled the midfield for long spells. It is good for the younger players to have the likes of Bosvelt at the club as they can learn from them. I saw the Liverpool/Newcastle game yesterday and was really impressed with Steven Gerrard. His passing, crossing, tackling and general play were superb and his reading of the game was outstanding. I know that Joey Barton has been compared to him but really at the moment there is no comparison. However, with experience, composure and improving his passing and crossing ability, then who knows? And of course whilst Bosvelt is at City Joey should learn from him.
I still dont think hes up with the pace, today against spurs he wasnt in a rush to move the ball around and kept on holding the ball up, i dont think this is what we need. He could be better next season, but will he saty that long? Give Macca a chance!
OK he's got better recently, but why has it took KK, and more importantly Bosvelt himself, until 6 months into the season to realise he needs extra training.