There is no Stu Holden contract drama

Over the last few weeks, really since Stu Holden started making first major steps towards a full team return, there have been quite (and some not so much) murmurs from fans scared that they're set to lose the American midfield dynamo. A lot of this fear, unfounded or not, stems from the fact that there is this overarching belief of an underlying contract drama between player or club.

You can rest easy for now. There is no contact drama because there have been no negotiations yet. There hasn't been a back-and-forth. There haven't been refusals, denials, or even offers. There haven't been talks.

"Why," you ask "have they not started discussions yet?" Simple: each party wants to know what it is they are getting from the other half.

For Bolton Wanderers, they have to ensure that Stuart Holden is able to not only stay fit, but to perform at a level somewhat near to where he was in 2010/11. Of course, that's going to take time and no one (reasonable people, anyway) expects Holden to be the same player right from the off, he just has to show the signs.

For Stu, it'll be getting the best possible deal he can from the Trotters. In order to do that, he'll have to perform to the best of his abilities without getting injured again. He isn't rushing it.

He even spoke to the fact just a few days ago:

"I want to have that feeling of playing 90 minutes and winning games and feeling like I am back in the full swing of things, I am so close to that I don't want to let anything distract me.

"Those things (contracts) will take care of themselves. Those discussions will take place when the time is right when everyone is comfortable with it. I have been out for a long time, it's important for me to prove myself again and that I can get back to the levels I was at before."

I know it may be difficult to believe but Holden was (gasp) telling the truth. One of our sources close to the situation confirmed it.

Stu's contract will expire at the end of June, six months from now. In footballing terms, six months can last forever and fly by in an instant all at the same time. Be patient.