Freedman out!

[Worthy4England]

The fact that Pulis has succeeded when he's had money to spend doesn't mean to say he can't have similar success without money.

Surely the same could be said of a great many managers that have previously had a couple of quid and a glimmer of success. I really don't understand this specific clamour for Pullis to be installed as our manager?!

It's hypothetical anyway as Douglas isn't going anywhere soon, I'd say.

Pulis is experienced, out of work and has won promotion before. He's also unikely to pick up a top half prem job.
However I'm not keen and would much prefer Dougie to come good. Not looking good right now though.

At the end of the day, here is the current betting list to be the next Bolton manager...

Tony Pulis
Mick McCarthy
Aidy Boothroyd
Craig Levein
Gus Poyet
Paul Dickov
Rafa Benitez
Derek McInnes
Eddie Howe
Iain Dowie
Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink

Realistically, there isn't much there (although if and when Dougie does go I imagine Jimmy Phillips will be straight in as favourite). Pulis and Poyet are about the only viable options.

The Bogieman list again, I see. Pity Davie O'Leary's missing from it.

[Bruce Rioja]

My view is that only a desperate manager would take the job as it is unless Eddie let's them buy players.

They don't need to buy new players, they just need to be able to organise the ones we've got.

If we were to sack young Douglas and his father figure off then I think they'll be replaced by Jimmy Pip and Sammy Lee on a long term basis.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Hm,difficult times. I'm not convinced there's any likelihood or need to panic just yet and replacing freedman now would be panicking. He did inherit a shambles and showed signs of improvemnt last season albeit without ever looking too convincing.It seems to be about small margins and certainly the way he sets the team out currently means game will usually be tight. The problem then is if you have error prone defenders and goal shy attackers you're a bit screwed.

A better centre half would have a big impact(as Dawson showed last season)likewise a striker who actually hits the target but he didnt inherit anything of that sort. Unfortunately he inherited dodgy central defenders he couldnt ship out and goal shy striker he couldnt ship out. I think it has created a problem for him in terms of justifying an outlay on a position already well stocked with failing players.

He has signed players but none seem to really resolve the two key issues.Infact so far his signings have marginally improved the periphery rather than sorting out the core of the team.

Having injuries to key creative players(Holden, Mavis and eagles plus a half fit moritz) and difficult fixtures have really left him pretty tied up for choices early season and we have admittedly been dire. There havent been too many better options available than what he has put out which is teams aimed at nicking a result.

There is the hope he can pull something off with a couple of loans. We are in reality a quality centre half and a quality striker short of being able to achieve something but with so much baggage on the wage bill it cant be easy.For me that still is a hangover from the previous management.

With what we currently have I can only really see C Davies hitting the target regularly yet he isnt starting for some reason, Hall looks like the only player with any real spark too although eagles will have his usual in/out performances. There is still a lack of balls o belief in the squad obviously.

Ngog for all his workrate is not a goalscorer nor is he particuarly good a a strike partner, Beckford was a gamble based on previous.He may grab a couple and suddenly come good but at present has no confidence.1 million does not buy a guaranteed scorer so Freedman took a chance and so far its fallen flat. Still made sense given the apparent limit on funding.

Interesting to see people now talking about ream as a central defender. I dont believe he has the physical or mantal strength to solve that problem even if he is the only one with a bit of pace. He's looked better infrontof the back two because he can read the game nick the ball and pick a simple pass without the pressure of being the last man. He may well yet prove a useful player in that campo role.

With the players available right now it's hard to pick out a solution. It's a very workaday squad with the exception of Eagles and Hall and really these two need to be starting games in order for us not to be on the backfoot from the start.You can pick a defensive ten if you have a lone striker who can score on a breakaway but at present we dont have that. We offer minimal threat so we are essentially there for the taking.

So not really offering a solution. You dont bring in a new manager and sack them one year later after they turned around the previous season had relatively poor backing in the summer and lost key creative players not to mention being saddled with dross defenders who cant be offloaded.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

If we were to sack young Douglas and his father figure off then I think they'll be replaced by Jimmy Pip and Sammy Lee on a long term basis.

This is really quite probably true. And we'd all have to hope that this current 80s revival we're going through hadn't hit the Charlie Wright phase.

[plymouth wanderer]

Was thinking the same bruce

[Lord Kangana]

Ok. Could they be any worse than we are at the moment though? They may be unproven, but the marginally-more-proven is proving to have unimproved results. If you get my drift.

[LeverEnd]

If we were to sack young Douglas and his father figure off then I think they'll be replaced by Jimmy Pip and Sammy Lee on a long term basis.

This is really quite probably true. And we'd all have to hope that this current 80s revival we're going through hadn't hit the Charlie Wright phase.

Charlie Charlie Charlie!!! What the hell get him back. Might be 75ish but top bloke and great raconteur. He could at least do the halftimes instead of Colin's feckwitt replacement.

[bobo the clown]

If we were to sack young Douglas and his father figure off then I think they'll be replaced by Jimmy Pip and Sammy Lee on a long term basis.

This is really quite probably true. And we'd all have to hope that this current 80s revival we're going through hadn't hit the Charlie Wright phase.

Charlie Charlie Charlie!!! What the hell get him back. Might be 75ish but top bloke and great raconteur. He could at least do the halftimes instead of Colin's feckwitt replacement.

Charlie was truly the most foul-mouthed person I've ever had dealings with. He could add an eff into an eff.

[LeverEnd]

If we were to sack young Douglas and his father figure off then I think they'll be replaced by Jimmy Pip and Sammy Lee on a long term basis.

This is really quite probably true. And we'd all have to hope that this current 80s revival we're going through hadn't hit the Charlie Wright phase.

Charlie Charlie Charlie!!! What the hell get him back. Might be 75ish but top bloke and great raconteur. He could at least do the halftimes instead of Colin's feckwitt replacement.

Charlie was truly the most foul-mouthed person I've ever had dealings with. He could add an eff into an eff.

But charming with it. The only person I've ever met who could get away with that in front of my Grandma!

[boltonboris]

I don't even give a fvck anymore. If the people paid ridiculous sums by the club don't, then why should I?

I had a bad feeling about Saturday from Wednesday night onwards and was adamant that I was going to give my ticket away. I slept on it Friday night and decided that I should just go anyway.

It was utterly dreadful.

[boltonboris]

One thing I'd say on Dougie.

He appointed knight as his captain. For me, a captain should be a player that EVERYONE (players, staff, coaches and fans) respect and can get behind, so NOT Zat. That was a big mistake.

He then hung hung him out to dry on Saturday, publicly in front of 19,000 or whatever. So he's lost his captain now.

Thirdly, egotistical players will be looking at Dougie having a pop in the media or in the dressing room (if he does) and they'll be thinking (wrongly, but all the same) "who the fvcks this guy, I've played at a higher level than he's ever managed at"

He's going to struggle to get the players to sing from the same sheet as him.

So now, what do we do? feck the manager off, or bin the senior shithouses to the ressies?

I'm honestly torn.

[LeverEnd]

One thing I'd say on Dougie.

He appointed knight as his captain. For me, a captain should be a player that EVERYONE (players, staff, coaches and fans) respect and can get behind, so NOT Zat. That was a big mistake.

He then hung hung him out to dry on Saturday, publicly in front of 19,000 or whatever. So he's lost his captain now.

Thirdly, egotistical players will be looking at Dougie having a pop in the media or in the dressing room (if he does) and they'll be thinking (wrongly, but all the same) "who the fvcks this guy, I've played at a higher level than he's ever managed at"

He's going to struggle to get the players to sing from the same sheet as him.

So now, what do we do? feck the manager off, or bin the senior shithouses to the ressies?

I'm honestly torn.

They'll still be shithouses for a new manager IMO. Get rid and build with youngsters. The club is going nowhere, I'd even accept relegation if there's long term development there. We've had a lot of senior shithouses bleeding the club dry in the last few years.
They don't look like they want to play for him, let's see if the younger ones do. If not then obviously we need a new manager as well.

[newcarsmell]

Pulis is experienced, out of work and has won promotion before. He's also unikely to pick up a top half prem job.
However I'm not keen and would much prefer Dougie to come good. Not looking good right now though.

At the end of the day, here is the current betting list to be the next Bolton manager...

Tony Pulis
Mick McCarthy
Aidy Boothroyd
Craig Levein
Gus Poyet
Paul Dickov
Rafa Benitez
Derek McInnes
Eddie Howe
Iain Dowie
Jimmy Floyd Hasslebaink

Realistically, there isn't much there (although if and when Dougie does go I imagine Jimmy Phillips will be straight in as favourite). Pulis and Poyet are about the only viable options.

When OC was sacked I was 100% convinced that Solskjaer was the right man for the job and it was the right time to appoint him. I still believe he'll go on to be an extremely good manager in the English league however, I feel we've fallen so far in the meantime that realistically somebody like Pulis is our only hope.

Happy times to be a wanderer

[thebish]

I don't even give a fvck anymore.

unfortunately for you - I bet you do! you can't be rid of the curse that easily!!

[CAPSLOCK]

One thing I'd say on Dougie.

He appointed knight as his captain. For me, a captain should be a player that EVERYONE (players, staff, coaches and fans) respect and can get behind, so NOT Zat. That was a big mistake.

He then hung hung him out to dry on Saturday, publicly in front of 19,000 or whatever. So he's lost his captain now.

Thirdly, egotistical players will be looking at Dougie having a pop in the media or in the dressing room (if he does) and they'll be thinking (wrongly, but all the same) "who the fvcks this guy, I've played at a higher level than he's ever managed at"

He's going to struggle to get the players to sing from the same sheet as him.

So now, what do we do? feck the manager off, or bin the senior shithouses to the ressies?

I'm honestly torn.

Dunno about that

Knight seemed to take it pretty well but then him looking less than interested is nowt new

I thought it was a very clear indication that he doesn't think Knight and Mills can play together without the protection Ream was intended to give

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

So now, what do we do? feck the manager off, or bin the senior shithouses to the ressies?

I'm honestly torn.

Most of the senior shithouses have been shithouses under 2/3 managers. If I were a betting man I'd be putting my money on them continuing to shithouses if we bring someone else in. Like you (iirc), I didn't want Dougie, but was happy to accept he had potential and given time could do a good job. It isn't looking good. That said, I'm of the be,lief that we can keep changing managers every year or 2. Sooner or later we're going to have to pick one and stick with under the good and bad times.

If I were Dougie I would be looking to get a settled side out and stop fecking about with selection. I'd stop trying to protect the defence to the extent we seem to try. It isn't working. Pick a back 4 and drill them to within an inch of their lives and stick with them. I'd look to try Cravies and Beckford at home and use Hall a bit more. They offer something different to each other, and whilst Cravies is limited, he at least can put a shot on target. I'd also take the arm band off Knight and tell the squad that one of them can try and earn it. In the meantime I don't give a shit who has it.

We aren't getting promoted any time soon. Partly Dougie's fault and a good bit of it the players. We need to rebuild the squad and get rid of senior shithouses. It is going to be a long and miserable ride...

[Bruce Rioja]

The image of a beaten man?

[BWFC_Insane]

One thing I'd say on Dougie.

He appointed knight as his captain. For me, a captain should be a player that EVERYONE (players, staff, coaches and fans) respect and can get behind, so NOT Zat. That was a big mistake.

He then hung hung him out to dry on Saturday, publicly in front of 19,000 or whatever. So he's lost his captain now.

Thirdly, egotistical players will be looking at Dougie having a pop in the media or in the dressing room (if he does) and they'll be thinking (wrongly, but all the same) "who the fvcks this guy, I've played at a higher level than he's ever managed at"

He's going to struggle to get the players to sing from the same sheet as him.

So now, what do we do? feck the manager off, or bin the senior shithouses to the ressies?

I'm honestly torn.

Are they shithouses or just absolutely useless? I used to think the former now I'm not so sure.

The difference an organiser in Dawson made is very telling!

[BL3]

certainly the way he sets the team out currently means game will usually be tight. The problem then is if you have error prone defenders and goal shy attackers you're a bit screwed.

So why does he persist in approaching games like that then? Why doesn't he start a player who is apparently 'the only player with any real spark'?

If we needed 'a quality centre half', why did he release a striker and spend £1M on another striker, when that sort of money 'does not buy a guaranteed scorer'?

Why did he release a right back in the summer and then play a decent centre half at right back?

He didn't have 'relatively poor backing in the summer', he was given more money to spend than all but three other clubs in the Championship, and two of those were in the Premier League last season.

[Lord Kangana]

Should have made an organiser a priority then. Instead we spent it on much-vaunted young signings and defenders that weren't entirely necessary. He knows the squad. He should know its limitations.