Saturday 17 January 2015 20:57, UK
Stoke stalwarts Peter Crouch and Jonathan Walters hailed Bojan as "special" after the striker scored the winner in the 1-0 victory at Leicester.
Bojan controlled a pass with his right foot, before swivelling and finishing with his left to score the winner on 63 minutes, the only real moment of quality in an otherwise poor match.
It was the former Barcelona striker’s third Premier League goal of the season, and the 24-year-old’s all-round game has impressed old sweats Crouch and Walters.
Walters said: “What hasn’t been said about him? He’s got that bit of quality - he’s played for some of the best clubs in the world.
“We’re happy to have him here, happy to have him in the team and he just showed today he was that difference with that strike and three points for us.”
Walters says Stoke are not settling for the comforts of mid-table, and are determined to improve on last year’s ninth-placed finish.
“We want to improve on last year, our points from last year, our goals from last year, away wins…we want to improve everything,” he said.
“I think if you stand still in this league you go backwards so our target has to improve on all of that.
“The manager and the staff have always said his teams tend to do well in the second half of the season. They get fitter and stronger and hopefully that will prove the case this year.”
Crouch was also effusive in his praise of his strike-partner.
“Bojan’s got great quality and I think he adds that little bit of something special really and obviously he was the match-winner again today,” he said.
Meanwhile the former England striker says he is hoping to sign a new contract with the Potters soon.
His current contract ends this summer, and Crouch says he wants to stay at a club which is looking up, rather than down the table.
Asked about contract talks, he said: “I’m not sure - I think there have been a few words spoken. Hopefully I can stay because I really enjoy it here.
“I really believe this is the best squad we’ve had in a long, long time and hopefully I’ll be a part of that. I’m happy here, I’ve said that all along so hopefully I’ll play a part in the future here.”
