Muamba's manager 'astonished' at his progress

By STUART CONDIE

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 12:26 p.m. ET March 22, 2012

LONDON (AP) -Fabrice Muamba's manager at Premier League club Bolton is "astonished" at the England under-21 midfielder's improvement since suffering an on-field cardiac arrest.

Muamba's heart stopped beating on its own for 78 minutes after he collapsed during an FA Cup match at Tottenham on Saturday.

Owen Coyle said Thursday that the player is still seriously ill at London Chest Hospital, where he was taken after his collapse at White Hart Lane, but that he has improved dramatically.

"Where we are now from that moment on Saturday evening, we are astonished," Coyle said. "But within that, it is extremely important we don't get too ahead of ourselves because we have to remember that Fabrice is still in intensive care and in a serious condition.

"The level of support that he has had has been incredible. I've got to say that it has been humbling at times."

Bolton will return to action on Saturday against Blackburn, and Coyle will let players upset at witnessing Muamba's collapse sit out the Premier League game if they feel unready to play.

"We have to go and play the match and do it to the best of our ability. Will it be difficult? Absolutely," Coyle said. "Some people are affected in different ways than others. I told them that with regards to Saturday's game, if there was anyone who wasn't up to going out and playing 90 minutes on a football pitch, they wouldn't play.

"I wouldn't ask anybody to play in these circumstances if they weren't in a position to do so. It will be a difficult game of football because all of our thoughts will remain with Fabrice."

Bolton's FA Cup quarterfinal at Tottenham has been rescheduled for Tuesday. Although the game was abandoned just before halftime with the score 1-1, the match will be restarted.

Medics tried to revive Muamba for 48 minutes before he arrived at the east London hospital. Bolton team doctor Jonathan Tobin said it then took another 30 minutes, after 15 shocks from a defibrillator, before the player's heart started beating again.

The cause of the cardiac arrest has not been discovered. Doctors said that Muamba had undergone a routine screening for heart defects in August. He was checked again Sunday, with the test producing a normal result.

It is too early to say if he can ever play professionally again.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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