The Bolton midfielder is recovering from a serious knee injury inflicted by Manchester United's Jonny Evans in March and hopes to return in September.
Evans was sent off for the challenge which left Holden with a badly gashed knee and anterior cruciate ligament damage
He said: "Stuart's like a kindred spirit, so positive in his outlook and in everything he does. I love that about him.
"He's optimistic and he is improving no doubt about it but we have to make sure we pick the right moment to bring him back and not push him at all.
"Stu has targeted the middle of September. My medical lads are a wee bit more wary. If we get him back at that point I'd be thrilled, but we might just have to be a bit patient.
"Let's not get away from it, we've all seen the effect not having him in the team had on us last season.
"Sometimes you find that with players, and I've said this about Kevin Davies as well, but when they play all the time you start to take them for granted.
"You just don't realise just how much they bring to your team until they are not there."
Although born in Aberdeen, Holden grew up in Texas and has won 17 full caps for the United States of America.
He had a brief spell at Sunderland in 2005 but suffered injury problems and was released after six months without playing for the first-team.
He returned to the States to play for Houston Dynamo in the MLS before moving to the Reebok in January 2010.
He made a big impact for the Trotters, playing 26 times in the Barclays Premier League in 2010/11 before suffering the cruciate ligament injury which abruptly ended his season, forcing him to miss the FA Cup semi-final against Stoke City.
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