Bradford City manager Gary Bowyer says that Eoin Doyle’s future will be reviewed in January as the striker continues to star for League Two promotion rivals Swindon Town.
Doyle, 31, was sent out on a season-long loan to the County Ground in August and has already netted 18 goals, making him by the most prolific marksman in England this season, and has scored in eight consecutive league games.
Bradford have scored 27 goals as a team this season, with James Vaughan their top scorer on seven, and Bowyer says that the Irish forward’s future for the rest of the campaign will be decided in the New Year with a recall from the league leaders on the table.
“The situation with him is that we review that in January,” said the Bantams boss after his side’s 1-0 victory at home to Newport County. “You always want players to be scoring goals and playing well in any position, so we’ll review that as January comes.”
New system ends winless run
The success over Newport, secured thanks to Vaughan’s second-half penalty, put Bradford a point off the automatic promotion places with a game in-hand.
Having gone five games without a win going into the clash, and missing Harry Pritchard, Ben Richards-Everton and Hope Akpan with knocks, Bowyer switched the formation to a back three and was pleased with the response.
“Personally, I expected it to be (a slow start) whilst we got used to the game and also the system,” said the manager. “We grew into the game, had a wonderful chance with Kelvin (Mellor) header’s when I expected him to score from a great delivery by Jake Reeves, and Remi Oteh got in a couple times.
“If we did give them any opportunities it probably came from us playing out from the back, we were loose with one or two passes. But that’s how we want to play, we don’t want to be a team that just boots the ball, we want to encourage them to have the ball and play, and try to entertain.
“In the second half it was the same. The intensity of Remi’s pressing was amazing and it forced the error and Vaughany’s anticipated the pass brilliantly, got round and was pulled down (by the goalkeeper for the winning penalty).”
Comeback kid Reeves impresses
As well as Oteh, whose pressing “got everybody up on their seats”, it was an excellent performance from Reeves. The midfielder, making only his third appearance following a long-term absence with a groin injury, was a composed figure in midfield and dangerous from set plays, and drew praise from his manager.
Bowyer said: “We were a massive threat from set pieces and a lot of that comes down to the quality of the delivery. Reevesy was magnificent with his delivery today and you can see the difference that makes to have someone with that quality.
“He’s a wonderful footballer. When I was at Blackpool, we came here in the opening game of the season and he was the one we really concentrated on stopping, and that was in League One. That just shows you the standard that he’s at.
“He’s like a new signing for us, he provides competition and it’s great because the others have seen how he plays the game and the standards that he sets, and want to get up to that and play with him.”