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Ian Evatt was glad to see the back of September… but has asked supporters to reserve their judgement on his side until the end of this month.
No manager in Bolton Wanderers history has ever started his career with five straight defeats, yet that is the unfortunate statistic on Evatt’s CV since he walked through the doors from Barrow.
The Whites occupy their lowest-ever league position – and one that could still get worse – but after tempers flared in the dressing room following a dismal home defeat against Newport there has been a reaction on the training ground which gives Evatt hope that better things are on the horizon.
“What we saw last weekend was not acceptable – it was a backward step from what we saw at Colchester,” he told The Bolton News. “We have to be men, hold our hands up, and ask where we can improve?
“For me, it’s the aggressive side of the game and the mental side of the game is where we most need to improve at the moment.
“Technically I think we can do it, tactically I think we are there, but football is 70 per cent mental and you have to be able to cope with the pressure and the adversity that football will throw at you.
“When we have missed a chance, conceded a goal or even after we had a goal disallowed last Saturday you saw the energy just drift out of them. You can’t be that way. You have to be relentless and we haven’t been.
“But this week I have seen a side I like. Being an ex-centre half I like to kick people, provided it is done in the right manner, i.e. trying to win the ball not to hurt someone but to be aggressive. I don’t mind it one bit.”
Evatt started slowly at Barrow last season before turning his team into National League title winners, and though such glories seem a long way away for a Bolton team which has fallen way short of its billing as pre-season promotion favourites, he believes their quality will be better judged after a busy October.
“There is a long, long way to go,” he said. “To be honest, I am glad September is over and done with because if you look at my record as a manager, it’s not great. I am not brilliant at starting seasons.
“Last year we had seven points from nine and then went on an unbeaten run which took us to the top of the league by the end of October.
“We have eight games this month. I would like to think by the end of the month we’re more likely to be where we want to be than not.”
Harrogate are exactly the sort of banana skin that Bolton may wish to avoid in their present state – although Evatt has the luxury of having seen them up close last season in the National League.
"I know all about Harrogate - they were a huge competition for my Barrow team last year," he said. "They will be 4-4-2, they are intense, they get the ball into areas that make you defend. They put you under pressure and we will have to stand up to it.
"We need to win first contact, second contact, pick up those second balls, and then have the bravery to play through the initial press as well.
"I like what I have seen on the training ground this week but the proof will be on Saturday when hopefully the work we have done this week will come to fruition.”
Source
No manager in Bolton Wanderers history has ever started his career with five straight defeats, yet that is the unfortunate statistic on Evatt’s CV since he walked through the doors from Barrow.
The Whites occupy their lowest-ever league position – and one that could still get worse – but after tempers flared in the dressing room following a dismal home defeat against Newport there has been a reaction on the training ground which gives Evatt hope that better things are on the horizon.
“What we saw last weekend was not acceptable – it was a backward step from what we saw at Colchester,” he told The Bolton News. “We have to be men, hold our hands up, and ask where we can improve?
“For me, it’s the aggressive side of the game and the mental side of the game is where we most need to improve at the moment.
“Technically I think we can do it, tactically I think we are there, but football is 70 per cent mental and you have to be able to cope with the pressure and the adversity that football will throw at you.
“When we have missed a chance, conceded a goal or even after we had a goal disallowed last Saturday you saw the energy just drift out of them. You can’t be that way. You have to be relentless and we haven’t been.
“But this week I have seen a side I like. Being an ex-centre half I like to kick people, provided it is done in the right manner, i.e. trying to win the ball not to hurt someone but to be aggressive. I don’t mind it one bit.”
Evatt started slowly at Barrow last season before turning his team into National League title winners, and though such glories seem a long way away for a Bolton team which has fallen way short of its billing as pre-season promotion favourites, he believes their quality will be better judged after a busy October.
“There is a long, long way to go,” he said. “To be honest, I am glad September is over and done with because if you look at my record as a manager, it’s not great. I am not brilliant at starting seasons.
“Last year we had seven points from nine and then went on an unbeaten run which took us to the top of the league by the end of October.
“We have eight games this month. I would like to think by the end of the month we’re more likely to be where we want to be than not.”
Harrogate are exactly the sort of banana skin that Bolton may wish to avoid in their present state – although Evatt has the luxury of having seen them up close last season in the National League.
"I know all about Harrogate - they were a huge competition for my Barrow team last year," he said. "They will be 4-4-2, they are intense, they get the ball into areas that make you defend. They put you under pressure and we will have to stand up to it.
"We need to win first contact, second contact, pick up those second balls, and then have the bravery to play through the initial press as well.
"I like what I have seen on the training ground this week but the proof will be on Saturday when hopefully the work we have done this week will come to fruition.”
Source