Was Freedman's good start down to JP and LSL?

After Coyle left the club Jimmy Phillips and Little Sam stepped up to take the helm. There was a reintroduction of some old Sam Allardyce ways and double training was the order of the day. Golf trips were cancelled. Fitness levels were increased. Diets were looked at. Individual training regiemes were undertaken to improve specific aspects of some player's physical fitness and or key tactical and technical areas.

On the pitch You could see and feel the lift in the players. They worked harder. Their heads were lifted. They fought for the ball and looked capable of taking the bull by the horns. They had the passion and the desire and you could tell they wanted to win. It was refreshing and inspiring to see. Off the pitch there were a lot of comments in the press from players who commented on how much things had changed since Coyle had left and how much more positive everything looked. They were enjoying playing and they were up for it!

Under the charge of Phillips and Lee Bolton went on to win 3-2 against Bristol in the most thrilling game of the season so far. Bolton next drew away against Wolves in what was a great performance and many considered we were unlucky not to win. Lee and Phiilips in their final game went to Middlesbrough and lost but not before taking the lead and looking good for long periods against a top three side who had won 4 games in a row.

Then Freedman took official charge as manager and Bolton won two and drew four of their next six games. Dougie, it seemed, had continued where LSL and JP had left off. Things seemed to be looking up. There was still a bit of fight in the team and it looked as if we might build on a good November run. But it wasn't set to last. Since the start of December Bolton have now lost four, won just two and drawn two. That is a mere 8 points from a possible 24!

I was unlucky enough to see five of those eight games and I have been, for the most part, thoroughly underwhelmed by the level of passion and the lack of ambition shown on the pitch. And that is exacerbated by Freedman's comments after games where he seems quite happy with what has been put on display by his team. When I am going home from games embarrassed and dejected it seems that the players are getting a hearty pat on the back and a "well done lads" for their troubles.

Now I feel I must ask this question. Did Freedman's run of unbeaten games in December come about as a partial result of the work done by Sammy Lee and Jimmy Phillips and now the players are reverting back to their earlier season ways because that (JP&LSL) influence has started to wear off since Dougie has implemented his own ways and brought in his own people/coaches?

That fight, that vigor and that passion all seem to be lacking for large parts of games much like we saw in the early part of the season. Where has it gone? There were so many weak tackles today I would have lost count if I tried to tally them up. So many aimless and misplaced balls - and I don't just mean poor passes I mean thoughtless, lazy, half-hearted.

If Dougie Freedman really was happy with the way we performed today then I really hope one of his back room staff tell him straight. He needs to take a long, hard and critical look at how we really performed and do something about it because he won't do anything to fix it if he doesn't even think it is broken. And that is what worries me the most.

So was Freedman initially riding on the back of what JP and LSL had put in place before he arrived? Did the Jimmy Phillips effect live on for a few games once Freedman was installed as manager? And does that account for Freeman's initial positive start?

Freedman has now had a decent amount of time to start getting the best out of his team and it just is not happening. Bolton drew toady against a not particularly good Millwall team. They came to the Reebok and could have won. What did Freedman say? "I’m absolutely delighted with what the lads are giving me at this moment." What did Phillip's say after a superb win against top of the league Cardiff? "It was not the a god start but we managed to make some gaps and got a result, there is a lot more work to be done to tighten up at the back but the players are responding and enjoying the sessions" (paraphrasing). Is that the difference?

Getting the impression he can't motivate players, doesn't show any passion, seems to hide in his little dug out when things are going bad , instead of bellowing out instructions and making a difference like a good manager should.

Beginning to think he's a wimp.

I can't see Dougie lasting long. He was a questionable appointment to begin with, he hasn't improved our approach to games and he talks complete shit. He deserves a chance to bring in players of his own but the work he has done with those already at his disposal is enough to question his tactical nous and thus the likelihood that once he has built his own squad, he will take the club in a positive direction.

Was his encouraging start courtesy of Jimmy Phillips and the stupid scouse dwarf? Not in my opinion. I went to all three games between OC and DF's reigns and we were for the best part fucking dire. We had a lot of possession at Wolves, yet rarely truly troubled them and Boro completely battered us.

I don't for one minute believe Freedman's comments are any more than PC BS. I think he is telling the players to stop using their asses as hats and he is trying to replace those he can an finally is praying for the speedy return of Holden, Vela and Wheater.

As to his good start - teams generally buck up a bit under a new manager as players who were previously out of favour try to earn a spot and favourites try to remain so.

I think you make a good point JJ but I would as I felt JP and SL should have been given more time. Good coaches, good motivators and with BWFC at heart. But Bolton fans want success now, even though it's bleedin' obvious that most of the squad seem to think they have a divine right to win games having played in the premiership and don't put in the necessary work or have the necessary concentration levels to win in this league.

JP and SL couldn't do anything much about changing the squad and the same core of players are still turning out for us today. DF hasn't experimented much with them, but now he has players coming back and a small transfer budget to work with. We'll know a bit more about DF by the end of Feb, but we'll never know if JP and SL could have done a better job or not.

There's absolutely no doubt Freedman is a duff apointment. Leaving the Reebok yesterday felt exactly like leaving after an Owen Coyle performance.

I'm tired of hearing people say "....wait until he has his own players in" as though managers can only manage players they signed themselves. A good manager should be able to motivate whatever he has at his disposal.

Freedman will turn out to be a bigger mistake than Owen Coyle, the board should step up now and realise this. But I guarantee you it'll take another 12 months before they have the balls to step in.

“I'm in the middle of building Crystal Palace Football Club, and when I picked the club up, we were in a dark place,” said the Scot. “I think I'm halfway there in getting the club the way I want it to be, and I'm not the sort of guy to leave jobs half done.”

wanderlust wrote:“I'm in the middle of building Crystal Palace Football Club, and when I picked the club up, we were in a dark place,” said the Scot. “I think I'm halfway there in getting the club the way I want it to be, and I'm not the sort of guy to leave jobs half done.”

Good point, he's a lying bastard as well!

Having watched a series of very poor performances from the team I am now after a period of Grace towards Freedman beginning to doubt his ability as a coach and a tactitian. Some of the substitutions he makes are truly baffling and continuing to play SKD is a monumental mistake.His service and loyalty to the club is faultless but I am afraid its time to go Kev lad. In the Sunderland game Ngog and Sordell looked lively and for an hour we attacked aPremier defence with skill and pace,this does not happen if SKD is up front. Bogdan looks for SKD and lumps the ball at him every single time and the ball invariably comes straight back at us. This is not the way forward now or ever.Sit in the stands Douggie mate and watch this shite from the same position as we do as its quite obvious you cant see dick all of whats going on from pitchside !!! Promotion ?? not a chance in hell !!!

Tigermin wrote:Having watched a series of very poor performances from the team I am now after a period of Grace towards Freedman beginning to doubt his ability as a coach and a tactitian. Some of the substitutions he makes are truly baffling and continuing to play SKD is a monumental mistake.His service and loyalty to the club is faultless but I am afraid its time to go Kev lad. In the Sunderland game Ngog and Sordell looked lively and for an hour we attacked aPremier defence with skill and pace,this does not happen if SKD is up front. Bogdan looks for SKD and lumps the ball at him every single time and the ball invariably comes straight back at us. This is not the way forward now or ever.Sit in the stands Douggie mate and watch this shite from the same position as we do as its quite obvious you cant see dick all of whats going on from pitchside !!! Promotion ?? not a chance in hell !!!

Please sign up permanently, best first post in ages. I could not agree more.

Freedman is very much like Coyle but until he has his own players in the squad, and I don't mean a couple of players on loan, we can't really judge him. Having said that I am surprised he hasn't given some of the guys Coyle never picked more of a run out. He should try SKD at the back. He can't be any worse than what we already have, and it worked OK when we did it with Pedersen.