January 2023 Transfer Window

[GhostoftheBok]

I wonder when Evatt's going to address the goalkeeping situation, and his record in this department to date (with the notable exception of Trafford) is shocking. Is he even capable of addressing it? We've seen for years now how it's not a position he prioritises, however, surely he can now see the difference between a Crellin and a Trafford - not just in terms of actually stopping the ball crossing the line, but the difference a good keeper makes to the entire team.

I mean, right now we're in a position whereby we don't even have adequate cover to cover a player who isn't even ours. Very risky.

So yes, I'd love to see us bring in a capable young keeper who can train with Trafford for the remainder of this season, who'll be capable of taking over for 23/24.

Our opponents today being a prime example of the difference a quality goalkeeper makes.

I suppose it's clouded by the hope we might keep Traf beyond this season if things go well, but I'm sure we have irons in the fire.

We can potentially go into next season with a settled back three to stick a new keeper behind, which might help avoid some of the disastrous stuff we saw before Traf's arrival.

[jmjhb]

I actually think there might be movement on this front this month, although I would perhaps expect it to be a more experienced keeper, maybe in the Championship, who isn't playing right now, as well as a younger keeper in the summer.

I have no idea who, if anyone, fits that description.

Personally I'd like us to have a look at Matija Sarkic from Wolves, who looks like he will be third-choice at Molineux soon. I suspect he may have suitors from the Championship or abroad though.

[GhostoftheBok]

Evatt is today saying (or rather, quoted today) we aren't pushing for Baka to leave and he's happy for him to stay. Reads like "pay more" being aimed at Salford, but may indicate that our "other attacker" we are chasing is a '10' and not a striker.

[Mar]

Perhaps the reason we've seen Hutchinson go out on loan is so we can tempt longer term goalies to take an interest in our situation. I suspect however that Dixon will stay till the end of the season and we'll see where we are with loaning Trafford again.

Hopefully we've got other options lined up in case we can't get Trafford again.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Perhaps the reason we've seen Hutchinson go out on loan is so we can tempt longer term goalies to take an interest in our situation. I suspect however that Dixon will stay till the end of the season and we'll see where we are with loaning Trafford again.

Hopefully we've got other options lined up in case we can't get Trafford again.

I would hope we'd have lots of non-Trafford ideas. A database of them. And we're a more attractive team to loan to now than we were.

Hutchinson is a prospect but he's on loan to Division Seven. Now, that might be so he can still train with us and play for the B team, but you would hope we'd attract a keeper decent enough to not be scared of competition from a kid....

[BWFC_Insane]

https://twitter.com/declanjohn7/status/ ... 717YQdTRnw

[sonicthewhite]

Another Sarcevic?

[jmjhb]

Don't know what's happened, but that's him gone.

[Tails07]

Probably is similar to the Sarcevic situation. John probably expected to be a certain starter with his assist numbers from last season. Evatt preferred a more rotational approach with Iredale and then Beck.

Then the final nail in the coffin for John is the fact that Iredale, R Williams, Beck, Sadlier and even wrong footed Jones are seemly picked ahead of him.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

https://twitter.com/declanjohn7/status/ ... 717YQdTRnw

What did it say? Nowt there when I click

[sonicthewhite]

John just says "There's two sides to every story"

[brommers95]

https://twitter.com/declanjohn7/status/ ... 717YQdTRnw

What did it say? Nowt there when I click

EAFDA059-A0A1-4E9D-977D-9C379C87B9D2.jpeg (140.11 KiB) Viewed 547 times

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Is he in Genesis?

[Worthy4England]

Is he doing a Piers Morgan interview soon?

[BWFC_Insane]

Is he in Genesis?

Haha. It’s a shame he tweeted this. Sounds like a fallout. And we know Evatt has a history of those. But
best for all concerned if John leaves quietly now.

[sonicthewhite]

He's since deleted it. The chicken sh1t!

[The_Gun]

Is he in Genesis?

Haha. It’s a shame he tweeted this. Sounds like a fallout. And we know Evatt has a history of those. But
best for all concerned if John leaves quietly now.

There was a rumour of a dressing room bust-up. Clearly the end of his time at Bolton regardless, so I hope we can find a club to take him on.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I thought it was funny the other day when two stories came out in the BN on the same day - "Baka is working hard to win his place back, he's not gone yet" and a very contrasting "Declan's still here."

In fact, here they are in full:

Bakayoko https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... t-january/

His attitude has been first class. He has very much been head-down, 'I want to do the best I can for Bolton Wanderers.' We are not actively looking to remove Bakayoko from the squad, I am not looking to let him go. He has worked really hard to get into the team and that’s his ambition. If we get an offer that we deem is acceptable, knowing that at the moment he is out of contract in the summer, or there is something he wants to look at and move to, then we will take each case and evaluate it. But for now he is concentrating on getting results for us, nothing more.

The pecking order is the pecking order – it only exists for one game. It matters how you perform when you are given an opportunity or how you affect the game when you come off the bench, which then translates to the next game. There's no agenda, there is nothing personal. Everyone thinks I have favourites, I gather that, it’s always the way – but I don’t. I view them all as my children and I try to treat them the same way. I have twins at home and that is hard enough to keep it even. I try to do it with the squad as well.

Fans are always going to say you have favourites, and why someone is playing over someone else, but that is just the nature of football. Everyone has an opinion, it is subjective, and I am never going to please everyone. I pick what I see on the training ground and in matches and/or what we are facing on a matchday for the opposition, no agenda.

.
John https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... wanderers/

Declan John’s situation has not changed. At the moment he is still a Bolton Wanderers player and training with the group and he needs to work hard to get back into the team. But if something else becomes available for Declan that he is interested in, then obviously we will take a look at it as things evolve. We have had a lot of interest in Declan, of course we have, he is a good player. As I said, for now there is nothing to speak of other than he’s a Bolton player. He’ll keep going with that until it changes.

I just don’t think he has been as consistent as he was last year – and as I said before, last year I think we were targeted down that side and we needed a different type of wing-back to combat that. It is not a slight on Declan, he has played games, he actually started the first game I believe. It’s a funny old adage that people say, ‘managers pick teams,’ but in my experience, they don’t. Players pick teams with their performances. That remains the case.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Is he doing a Piers Morgan interview soon?

He'd get a lot more viewers on Welcome to Wrexham...

[GhostoftheBok]

Given John's general reputation at previous clubs you could maybe argue that Evatt has done well to go this long without falling out with him.

As a player I like John, when tasked with a specific set of things. His rep preceded him when he came here, yet Evatt got 18 good months out of him when others have written him off far more quickly.

Two sides to every story indeed.