OFFICIAL - Ian Evatt is our new manager!!!

All moved on a bit now.  with an agreement close, which includes bringing Atherton.

WANDERERS are set to appoint Ian Evatt as their new manager after agreeing a compensation deal with Barrow.

The club is understood to have settled a dispute over the terms of the 38-year-old’s contract at Holker Street and will now discuss personal terms.

Sources close to the deal believe an announcement could be made in the next 24 hours which confirms Evatt as the replacement for Keith Hill at the University of Bolton Stadium.

Peter Atherton, Evatt’s assistant, is part of the deal – ending speculation that he could stay on in Cumbria.

Wanderers are playing fourth tier football for only the second time in their history but believe the former Blackpool and Chesterfield defender, who led Barrow to an unlikely promotion from the National League last season, is the perfect man to revive their fortunes.

Compensation for the remaining two years of his contract has proved an issue, with Barrow claiming they were owed £250,000 as part of a “golden handcuffs” agreement.

Wanderers initially refused to meet their demands but it is understood the two clubs have now come to an agreement and that an official appointment is imminent.

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Excellent should be interesting hopefully the start of a move in the right direction.

Like to just point out my ITK has turned out correct once again.

Bolton. Evatt AND Atherton both on their way. Barrow expect compo to be sorted for ALL the backroom team.

— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

It’s the two. Plus extras. And money will be sorted. Probably today. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Don’t know the names. But the rest of the ‘team’ to stay intact apparently. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

225 is figure wanted for Evatt. It will end up close to that. One way or another. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

They have to officially ‘speak’ first once money is paid. I am sure they will get on [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Iles now saying money has been agreed.
He'd better be worth it.

It does seem a lot for a young manager with no EFL experience but he'll get my backing.

Mr Pig, don't, you'll scare him away 

My mole still says Ricketts.

Natasha Whittam wrote:My mole still says Ricketts.

Hit it with a spade.

Unless we can expect a certain level of investment in playing staff, I don't think any manager is worth quarter of a million to us. It is a lot of money at League Two level, the kind that only some teams will spend on player transfer fees.

I suspect the board hasn't done a great deal of research, they're probably just basing the decision on wanting to pick a young new up and coming manager who has had some success at a smaller club and might be tempted to jump ship. Nothing wrong with that obviously, except that a few of our most recent managers have matched that description, but not had the backing they were expecting and subsequently been marked down as failures.

It definitely shows a little ambition, let's just hope it's a sign of things to come.

Great news that both Ian and Peter are coming and keeping it together, assuming of course they can agree personal terms and the new set up. At this stage, although no official talks have been allowed I can’t believe any concerns wouldn’t have been covered remotely so with any luck we should have them both in tomorrow. At least that will send Nat’s mole back down it’s hole and then we can all get on with backing the new men and seeing who they bring in. Hopefully they can at least convince Ali Crawford to stay because out of the rest out of contract I don’t think there’s much loss. Shame about Didsy though because I’m not sure where he’d now fit in. Maybe it’s time for him to spread his wings and look for a managers position elsewhere rather than possibly staying here unhappy?

No 5pm announcement Boggers, what a let down.

Natasha Whittam wrote:No 5pm announcement Boggers, what a let down.

Perhaps Ricketts had a puncture en route?

Maybe the club has more money to splash about than we think?

Natasha Whittam wrote:No 5pm announcement Boggers, what a let down.

I said tomorrow not today..

If you have some free time have a listen to this podcast:

Couple of very minor things to be sorted... But it's my understanding that if you were to keep your eye on social media tomorrow morning, an announcement is in-Evatt-able... [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

— Marc Iles (@MarcIles) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Ricketts has just bought a scarf.

BoltonTillIDie wrote:If you have some free time have a listen to this podcast:

I've listened to this, seems he's one of these people who is highly driven - and fair play to him - but I'm not one of those were constantly striving to maximise my self (and all around me) is my cup of tea personally.

Great if you are the kind that does buy into it and hopefully the players he signs and inherits do and I hope does exceedingly well for us, I just believe life has more to it than constantly striving all the time.

Interesting to hear that there are no opta stats for non league (and the lower divisions?) and that his details come from the networking he's built up whilst in the game and how he's used them to build one for Barrow.

He's got his head screwed on though as he believes that a good manager can blend the 'data' side of the game with the human touch of being able to relate to the players and all else around you.

Reminds me a bit of Allardyce - cutting edge data and an ability to relate to the players on a personal level (both those in the starting eleven and the rest who aren't - can't remember players ever bad mouthing Sam?).

His philosophy is to play a control and pass football - and bring in the players to do that - and dump the old thinking of big brutish defenders or hoof the ball up to the big tall forward, type thinking.

He argues there are players who can do this, just that they have never been allowed to do it under the managers and teams they have played for - he's probably right too.

He definitely likes speed in his team (who doesn't!) and fitness (even the illusion of it as well - running off the pitch at half time - to get inside the heads of your opponents).

I don't really think his thinking and philosophy is unique - it's what Guardiola and Klopp do now - but he's applying it in leagues that have never faced teams that have done so - I think he's on to a winner and is certainly brave (and I think the right thing to do) for FV to go down this road.

Obviously it will take time to work and there will be setbacks but I'm more excited to see where this goes than at anytime since Allardyce left us and we became a managerial basket case since (Megson being the best manager we've had since - and I know what many think of him).

Don't know if he'll bring anybody from Barrow but I suspect his backroom staff will come (goodbye to Lee and some of the other old guard that needs to move on) but his best striker has two years left on his contract and Rooney's younger brother has blossomed under his style, so I doubt we will see them with the embargo/salary cap/being brassic, etc.

I'm looking forward to him joining and the new season. Hope the fans give him the time.

We gave Allardyce an eight year contract (iirc?) massive gamble at the time - I believe this 'experiment' is probably our biggest gamble since - and I've got a feeling that it will probably be just as successful for us.

Fingers crossed anyway!

Yes listened to it too, thought it was interesting. He’s clearly got a lot of confidence in his methods given the success at Barrow, but he’s also clearly highly ambitious and motivated to keep improving. Sounds like a real student of the game who knows how he wants to play and is putting a huge amount of effort in to getting there.

All well and good, but can anyone imagine the likes of Zouma, Hobbs and Emmanuel offering for a short from the keeper and passing it amongst themselves confidently? Not sure I can. Recruitment will be key, as will time coaching those new recruits. I’d like to see him given plenty of time to rebuild the club, but if we start slowly it won’t be long before the usual crowd are calling for his head I’m sure.

Just heard the podcast hell of a lot to like quite exciting times ahead if he can get his thoughts accross, love the fact that he wants to play it out from the back, always thought that it was stupid to launch a ball from the back and make posession a lottery. we used to platy long balls to Le fondre and Clough utter madness. He is convinced he will manage in the Prem lets hope he does a Wilder with us.