Hierro back in Europe with Bolton
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Article summary
Former Real Madrid CF defender Fernando Hierro has joined Bolton Wanderers FC on a year's contract.
Article body
International clearance required
It is Hierro’s arrival which will capture the attention, however. The 36-year-old agreed the deal with the English Premiership club, subject to receiving international clearance, after spending the last 12 months playing in Qatar with Al Rayyan. Hierro will team up with former Madrid team-mate Iván Campo at Bolton.
Three-times European champion
He was released by Madrid at the end of the 2002/03 season after 14 years at the Santiago Bernabéu, in which time he won three UEFA Champions League titles and six Spanish league titles. For Spain, he scored 29 goals in 89 appearances - at one time a record number for a Spanish international.
Out to impress
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce told his club's website: "After spending a year in Qatar he is desperate to make an impression again in mainstream European football. I firmly believe he can become a star in the English game and I'm glad he has decided to join Bolton Wanderers."
'Right attributes'
Allardyce, meanwhile, believes his other new signing, Ben Haim, "has all the right attributes to make it in the Premiership". The 22-year-old has won a league championship winner's medal with Maccabi in 2002/03.
