Towering Mvoto is giving little away

BIG JEAN . . . Athletic’s giant centre-back climbs high above Notts County’s ex-Boundary Park favourite Lee Hughes to clear the danger.

IMPROVED FRENCH CENTRE-BACK COULD STAY

JEAN-YVES Mvoto is keeping his cards close to his chest as to whether he will remain with Athletic for next season.

If anything, the big French centre-back has returned superior performances during his second, post-ankle-injury spell at Boundary Park.

The difference between the hesitant, awkward-looking player who started the season with a shaky performance in a Carling Cup loss at Scunthorpe and the assured, dominant performer who recently helped the defence to four consecutive clean sheets while playing alongside Reuben Hazell is huge.

There is no doubt that manager Paul Dickov wants to sign up the 22-year-old, already released by Premier League club Sunderland, for next season.

Whether Athletic can afford to keep on Mvoto given budgetary concerns is another matter.

"We will see," said Mvoto when asked about his thoughts on staying on for 2011-12. "The gaffer and me talk a lot and we will see what will happen."

Following the draw in a tense clash with Walsall at the weekend, two more games still remain for this season and the Parisian hopes his team-mates can relax and play the sort of football sought by Dickov.

"Like the gaffer said to us, we didn't play particularly well on the day and at times the standard of our play was poor," Mvoto said of the 1-1 Saddlers stalemate in which Filipe Morais was harshly sent off in the second half.

"It was always going to be a tough game and from the start, we struggled to impose our style.

"It was difficult out there, particularly against 10 men. So we take the point and that is a positive for us.

"The result is the most important thing. It is good that we have now guaranteed that we will not be relegated.

"Hopefully it will allow us to play more freely. We need to try to get the six points now and hopefully finish higher up the table."