Bolton Wanderers-Hull City Preview

Aug 20, 2009 - 4:10 PM CHRIS TUPLING STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Bolton manager Gary Megson has challenged Matt Taylor to heap more misery on Hull City on Saturday after signing a bumper new three-year contract.

Taylor has become one of Bolton's highest paid players after penning the new 40,000 pounds-a-week deal.

Boss Megson wants the former England under-21 star to hit the goal trail at the KC Stadium after netting ten times from midfield last season.

Taylor said: "Matt is a hard working player who always gives his all.

"He scored ten goals for us last season and is a big influence with his set pieces and work rate.

"He had a key role to play last season and will have again this season. He is another member of the squad who leads by example.

"He and his family are settled here and I'm sure he can go from strength to strength at the club."

Taylor is the latest player to commit his future to Bolton, following in the footsteps of Kevin Davies and Gary Cahill.

The former Portsmouth star is targeting a top ten finish.Taylor said: "It is a big challenge trying to match what I achieved last season.

"Expectation levels might have risen slightly from the fans but to be honest they have from myself as well.

"This is my sixth season in the Premier League so I would like to think I know a little better what the game is about.

"It's just a case trying to match what I did personally and better what we did collectively. If we do that it will be a good year.

"I think we have got to be realistic and see that there are teams spending millions and millions in the Premier League now, cherry-picking whoever they like and putting fantasy football teams together.

"What we can do is be competitive this year ??? that for me that means finishing in the top 10. Anything other than that would be a disappointment, to the players and fans, because the signs suggest we have got everything available to us to do that.

"You look at Fulham last year and see what consistency in performances can do compared to the previous season where they just stayed up by the skin of their teeth."

Hull have endured a difficult opening week of the season, losing 2-1 at Chelsea on the opening day to Didier Drogba's last minute winner before being trounced 5-1 at home by Tottenham on Wednesday.

The Tigers' club proposed record 12 million pounds swoop for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo has also collapsed after the Spaniard rejected the move.

Manager Phil Brown said: "The lads have decided to stay in Spain.

"We did everything we possibly could and I take my hat off to the chairman for the things he did in getting a world-class player to even talk to us.

"But that's dead now, it's on the wave behind and we'll try to get the next one.

"I'm very disappointed. There was a lot of effort and energy, not just from myself - for the last six weeks we were working hard at it."