Ben relishing Efe link-up
10:35am Friday 11th July 2008
BEN Futcher insists his water-tight partnership with Efe Sodje can continue into next season.
The big defender played his best football in a Bury shirt following the former Nigeria international’s arrival in mid-February, and the pair were instrumental in leading the Shakers to mid-table safety.
Now Futcher says the partnership – which conceded just five goals in the last eight games of the campaign – can go from strength to strength.
“We do play well together and we struck up a good partnership,” he said.
“You just get on with it when you get a settled partner and have a run of games. You get to know the way they play and you tend to work off each other. We’re looking forward to the start of the season now.”
The Shakers returned to pre-season training this week with a few unfamiliar faces on show. But keeper Wayne Brown and midfielder Stephen Dawson have, like Sodje, blended into the dressing room banter.
“The new faces have fitted in well,” Futcher said. “It isn’t the biggest squad in the world but we are quite a tight bunch and they have all bought into that.
“The first week has been enjoyable, apart from the running. Everyone hates pre-season but it has got to be done and we have come back smiling after the summer – so it must have been good for us.”