Which manager has played the most exciting and entertaining football in recent times?

I'm not sure why I've set up this poll. I suppose its more out of counteracting the other 'opinion' polls that have been running on the site recently and rather than focusing on the negative (i.e. who's the worst - e.g. please let it be Coyle), this one is focusing on the positive and what football should be about, entertainment. 

I don't give a monkey's who comes out on top or at the bottom and, as its an opinion poll, its not based on any quantifiable facts other than your own perception of who's team entertained you the most. 

This is a single round cast your vote to put together a full list of the most exciting and entertaining managers that have been in the Bolton hot set in recent times. Recent times is loosely used here as 10 years plus isn't really recent, but I had to include Rioch in the list, so we go back as far as him.

I'd imagine Rioch will win this, but he's a bit before my time so not for me. 

Allardyce for me anyway, obviously it wasn't Barcelona but playing the likes of Arsenal and knowing we could get a result was exciting, as was seeing us play in Europe. There was also plenty of flair in his teams, he balanced the pragmatism of being 'long ball' with players like Okocha, Djorkaeff etc who could create something from nothing. My only complaint was that he never really solved the lack of pace in the side.

Follow up would be Coyle, in terms of the quality of football the 6 months or so when we had Holden and Elmander playing out of their skin was brilliant, one of my favourite Bolton goals of all time was that home game against Blackpool where we equalised last minute. Great flowing move finished by Mavies.

Gotta be Rioch for me.

We had a team of basically third division journeymen, assembled on a shoestring budget, but by God, could they play.

Some judicious work in the transfer market (a bag of balls to Marine FC for McAteer) then complimented the earlier hard work and Rioch was able to take us on to the next level.

I remember playing Norwich (who were in the Prem at the time) in the League Cup after we'd dumped West Ham (also Prem) out in the previous round and you could just tell that night by the feel and atmosphere inside Burnden that there was now way we were going to lose.

The Allardyce years were great but the teams assembled by Rioch were phenomenal when you look back and consider what they cost.

I genuinely feel sorry for the younger fans nowadays who weren't around to witness those days because it really was special.

I firmly believe that any of Rioch's sides from back then would beat the current lot about six nil.

Seriously.

Breadman wrote:Gotta be Rioch for me.

We had a team of basically third division journeymen, assembled on a shoestring budget, but by God, could they play.

Some judicious work in the transfer market (a bag of balls to Marine FC for McAteer) then complimented the earlier hard work and Rioch was able to take us on to the next level.

I remember playing Norwich (who were in the Prem at the time) in the League Cup after we'd dumped West Ham (also Prem) out in the previous round and you could just tell that night by the feel and atmosphere inside Burnden that there was now way we were going to lose.

The Allardyce years were great but the teams assembled by Rioch were phenomenal when you look back and consider what they cost.

I genuinely feel sorry for the younger fans nowadays who weren't around to witness those days because it really was special.

I firmly believe that any of Rioch's sides from back then would beat the current lot about six nil.

Seriously.

Phil Neal signed Mcateer Breaders, but other than that, agree totally with the rest.

I stand corrected.

Cheers, Mart - I've learnt something there.

I wouldn't like to comment on the style of play but the number of really gifted flair players brought in by Todd has to count for something. It meant that from the moment Allardyce walked in he had a lot to work with, and obviously most of them were sold on for tidy profits.

Coyle's first full season was great on the eye before Holden got injured and that completely cocked us up as it was all about him. Particularly at the Reebok the football was absolutely great, and every time we went a goal down, you always knew there was a chance we'd get back into it.

But my vote has to go to Allardyce because although the approach might have been very direct and scrappy, it was still good to watch because of the flair players we had at the time.

this is a tough one, Riochs teams were great to watch but Colin Todds team when we got promoted to the Prem with 100 goals and 99 points were fantastic (why is he not on the list?)

Coyles team were probably the easiest on the eye before the great fall after that semi-final and for pure enjoyment Allardyces teams were great at upsetting the big boys (yes you Wenger and the fat Spanish waiter)

Can i decide? Not at the moment 

Like Norpig says, a bit odd that the manager in charge of the most entertaining season EVER doesn't make the list!

100 goals and 98 points. Two proper wingers, attacking full-backs, and strikers who could shoot straight. No one will ever witness better entertainment.

i have to say that season was probably my favourite season ever,what happy days they were

Todd added at the request of JAH.

For those of you who have already voted I have also set up the option to cancel your initial vote and vote afresh if you want to.

i bigged up Todd and now he's been added so he gets my vote

Rioch for me. He rejuvenated the club and brought back the feelgood factor.

Todd 1st, Rioch 2nd, Coyle 3rd imo. Sam's years were great but there was something extra special about how Colin got the team too play, Bruce Rioch's team also did awesome;y well given the expectation levels around it and Coyle was like a breath of fresh air after the Megson/Lee era. 

It's a toughie because it's so close for me between Bruce and Colin, in fact the entire "White Hot" Era of the 90's was still imo the best time to be a Trotter. Every match was fun to go to and win lose or draw the atmosphere in Burnden Park was electric all through those days. Coyle gave us an all too brief reminder of it when we got to the FA semi-final but Sam's team had players that were known to be able to perform at the top level all the way through it which is why he's 4th in my book.

Todd did it with the bulk of Riochs team, he had no idea when we got promoted, Rioch took us on an unbelievable ride, beating teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton, Villa, in the cup, and had us on the edge of our seats for a good few seasons, Todd had 1 good season, so for that 1 season alone you lot reckon Todd was the better manager, aye alreet.

Rioch all the way.

MartinBWFC wrote: so for that 1 season alone you lot reckon Todd was the better manager, aye alreet.

Where in the thread title does it ask "which is the better manager"?

MartinBWFC wrote:Todd did it with the bulk of Riochs team, 

I'd guess the team that won the league in 97 was mostly players bought by Colin Todd or Roy Mcfarland not Bruce Rioch.

Difficult. I can certainly see the case for Rioch or Todd but Allardyce just shades it for me. Some of the things we saw players like Djorkaeff and Okocha do and the thought that we genuinely worried other teams (remember how Benitez and Wenger used to treat us), plus BSA'a innovative tactics and tricks at set plays means he gets my vote.

Norpig wrote:i have to say that season was probably my favourite season ever,what happy days they were

That was a brilliant season. I went to Tranmere on the last day of the season and we had the whole stand behind the goal. The atmosphere was electric. We needed two goals and three points to make it 100 points and goals and we were so close until the final few minutes when we let in Graham Branch for the equaliser in true Bolton style. Some of the football that season was breathtaking and teams just couldn't live with our attacking play. 

Having said that, I went for Bruce Rioch. I started going to games as a kid at the back end of Phil Neals tenure and was lucky enough to go to most of the games in the white hot era and it was a special thing to be a part of. Watching the likes of David Lee, Andy Walker, John McGinlay and Jason Mcateer rip teams to pieces was a joy to behold. So many spectacular games and results, lots of them against the odds, was brilliant. The atmosphere inside Burnden through those years was something you just can't replicate and I feel very fortunate to have been there. Great memories for me.

i also loved the white hot days as well 58, i first started going on the first game of the season in the old 4th Division which was a great season as well with the likes of Robbie Savage, John Thomas and Sumo 

It's a hard decision as the white hot days were amazing but that season under Todd was something special, Blake and Supa John were a great partnership.