OFFICIAL - Ian Evatt is our new manager!!!

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.

Not been this excited about a manager since Coyle first came. Hope it pans out much differently we deserve some success

Still not been confirmed.

You failed us again Boggers.

It was confirmed yesterday afternoon, Nat. Apologies for jumping the gun, my source forgot that Keith Hill and Flitcrofts contracts expired at midnight tonight, he’s made me look a right knob. 

The official announcement is tomorrow. 130k paid upfront and a further 80k to be paid at the end of this upcoming season.

No official announcement yet - latest guesses are within the next hour or so - but somehow Iles has managed to keep a blog about the announcement running all day.

Sol's looking for a job?

Cajunboy wrote:Sol's looking for a job?

Can't have too many Golden Gamble sellers.

Done!

We are delighted to announce the appointment of ???????????? ???????????????????? as Head Coach of Bolton Wanderers Football Club.

Read more [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

— Bolton Wanderers (@OfficialBWFC) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The scarf photo you've all been waiting for...

???????????? ???????????????????? is our man. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

— Bolton Wanderers (@OfficialBWFC) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Ian Evatt has been appointed as Bolton Wanderers' new head coach. He signs a contract until the end of the 2022/23 season.

It's a head coach.
Long contract.
Clause inserted on Barrow players.

- All the information right here on Bolton Wanderers' new boss.[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.]

Ian Evatt Leaves Barrow AFC

Today Barrow AFC signed an agreement with Bolton Wanderers AFC releasing Ian Evatt from his First Team manager role with us.

We would like to thank the Bolton representatives for the professional manner in which they undertook the negotiations and their respect for the compensation clause within Ian’s agreement. Once Ian had expressed last Friday his desire to leave Barrow AFC we felt it only fair to honour our agreement with him.

Chairman Paul Hornby commented, ‘it’s always disappointing when someone decides to move on especially when they’ve had such a positive impact. Ian did a wonderful job over the time he was here and he leaves us with a blueprint and identity of how we want our team to play and a great group of players. We shouldn’t let his departure distract from a fantastic season and the massive opportunity promotion creates for this club going forward.’

We are very confident we can recruit a new management team that can take us to the next level also playing attractive, possession based football. We wish Ian all the best in his future career and look forward to seeing him again next season.

Ian joined us over 2 years ago and in that time we have seen a transformation on the pitch. From a side which had just avoided relegation, he implemented a possession based footballing philosophy which culminated in us winning the league.

As part of Ian’s exit the deal also sees assistant manager Peter Atherton and first team analyst Lewis Duckmanton leave the club too.

Finally we would also like to confirm that included in the agreement is a 2 year embargo that means Bolton cannot approach any Barrow players under contract.

The search for Ian’s successor has already begun and we’ll be keeping the fans updated on how that process develops.

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Just need a team now!