What's Ste Evan's Age? 61, I think. Stevenage away. 29/03/2024 - 3pm

[Bertie Wooster]

This is not a blip under Evatt, we've been poor since Pompey away & Dion's shocking miss - btw Dion wasn't exactly scoring for fun in the 7 or 8 games prior to him being injured.

I was made up when we 1st got Evatt, with the 'barrowcelona' stuff, fittest team in the league, heavy press, tiring teams out etc. - but apart from Oxford & Carlisle we have been way off since Xmas despite FV's backing in January - most on here (including me) thought that with the Jan signings (including Collins) we would get top 2. He moans about injuries, but others Pompey, Derby etc. have had lots of injuries to key players, but they adapt & change - we don't, Evatt plays the same way every game - in a must win game yesterday why didn't he go for it & try something different 2nd half 442 or 451. That team yesterday was much better than Stevenage & perhaps, just perhaps a more adventurous manager, or a more tactically flexible manager may have won that - I actually think that Evatt himself was content with a point & was scared of losing. Our best chance of a goal (Collins) was playing as a defensive midfielder in the 2nd half !

At times they look so disjointed, under coached - he said post match that the players looked scared to lose & played not to lose instead of going for the win - surely that's the manager's job to get them fired up and instruct them to go for it or change formation to be more attacking.

Rightly or wrongly this forum has more Evatt backers than doubters, which is fine, but surely he's not above criticism but he's getting plenty of stick from many others it's not just me ! We are going backwards under Evatt and I'm not sure he knows what to do to change things.

Even the Evatt backers surely can admit that we only play well in 5 or 6 games a season, which isn't good enough - mentality & consistency is a major issue in this squad, as is a lack of a leader or leaders who can take the game by the scruff of the neck when things aren't going well instead of going missing & shrinking. I really hope we can get promoted via the play offs, but if we don't he goes for me as he hasn't improved us at all this season in any area of the pitch or any aspect of the game (IMO).

In regards to other managers, we could do worse than Lincoln's manager - what a difference he's made.

[TANGODANCER]

I'm a bit baffled: We're in third place in the league table despite internationals and injuries, not losing games and not having the best of luck with officials. We have good players and no real reason to believe we're going to be handed promotion on a plate. In what way are we so much different than twenty three other clubs in much the same circumstances. Teams above us (two) are there for a reason, and those below are fighting tooth and nail to win. Yesterday we played away against a gang of thugs, the pitch was like a ploughed field and it was raining hard enough to drown a fish, all those things tend to affect perfection. We didn't lose and scraped a point.

We are where we are because we have a good team and a top manager ,(and a top guy running this fan site) so why on earth are we behaving like fans of Mount Street Tavern in the Sunday pub league? What next, the bedsheet brigade parading round Nat's statue waving pitchforks? Time to do a real reality check and not mistake disappointment for fact. If we play well and win, we'll have a chance of promotion, if not, we won't, that's a fact. On with it lads...

[officer_dibble]

We should be top two tango…not several points adrift of it. That’s the investment FV have made. The two teams above us have loads of injuries just like us…they just have better managers, probably. 5 games to go and we’ll see. Then hopefully 3 more. Playoffs are a massive opportunity - turn it round in there and all is forgiven, and we shouldn’t fear any of the other 3 sides, but I think we do. Evatts body language and general tone isn’t giving me much hope either.

[Worthy4England]

You know there's trouble at 't'mill when the wise sages are spinning up the demons that the only alternatives feed off virgin blood, yet if recent memory serves, the teams that have gone up in the autos have looked pretty decent (without doing all the things Evatt teams using the "better way" do.), so I'm not buying that there's Evatt or Anti-Christ as the only alternatives. Ipswich and Plymouth were not a tough watch when we played them last season, other than the result. Can I see how good it looks at its shiny best? Sure, but I don't think Ipswich and Plymouth were too goal shy either last season. Just about anyone at their buffed up best looks pretty decent.

So if IE wants to keep all onside, it's little use rolling out his Emperor's new clothes and hoping that'll be enough just because passing seems to have become some sorta proxy for not winning enough.

When we've lost, unexpectedly drew and sometimes won, playing poorly etc. It's typically because we've been poor / shit on the day. And it's looked it. Every bit as poor, with added lethargy, as the long ball Anti-Christ United.

There are certainly worse managers than IE, but when bemoaning the downsides of injuries and a few missed transfers, all but a couple of L1 Clubs would fcuking kill for our "frontline" and he has/is being backed, not hearing much mention of the upsides...

I suspect most folks are attuning their PPDArs to the playoffs (although there's still a way to go, we don't look consistent enough for me) and games that'll be too close to call pre-game, despite the massive advantages of our system. Should we prove successful, they'll become told ya sos - someone will likely post "trust the process." Should they prove unsuccessful, then we always knew IE and squad just aren't the Messiah's, coz we've been told that too. I genuinely like our squad as people, they seem quite together but I don't wanna hear shit like "we looked scared" every week. It's a football match not a world war, if our luvvies can't handle the sort of pressure at the top end of tables, we might want to start factoring mentality into the recruitment process.

[Worthy4England]

I'm a bit baffled: We're in third place in the league table despite internationals and injuries, not losing games and not having the best of luck with officials. We have good players and no real reason to believe we're going to be handed promotion on a plate. In what way are we so much different than twenty three other clubs in much the same circumstances. Teams above us (two) are there for a reason, and those below are fighting tooth and nail to win. Yesterday we played away against a gang of thugs, the pitch was like a ploughed field and it was raining hard enough to drown a fish, all those things tend to affect perfection. We didn't lose and scraped a point.

We are where we are because we have a good team and a top manager ,(and a top guy running this fan site) so why on earth are we behaving like fans of Mount Street Tavern in the Sunday pub league? What next, the bedsheet brigade parading round Nat's statue waving pitchforks? Time to do a real reality check and not mistake disappointment for fact. If we play well and win, we'll have a chance of promotion, if not, we won't, that's a fact. On with it lads...

The bit about "what way are we much different than 23 other Clubs." We have more money available than many would be point 1. Better squad, better manager. Larger attending fan base because of ground size etc. That's why no one voted outside the top 6 in the where do you think we'll finish thread.

There isn't much room for slippage, either. A valiant 7th/8th place with a late push for 6th, I doubt would get much favour from where we are now as a Club. That'd be a serious underperformance. So really the bar for Evatt is higher as you'd expect and you get less opportunity for a bad day at the office - as it should be, he's probably paid pretty well. With such a limited range of outcomes (poll was split 50/50 between 1st/2nd and 3rd/4th). It almost a binary pass/fail test.

For me, below 4th would be fail. 3rd/4th about where I expected, 1st/2nd Happy land.

That's different than "on any given day it's your XI v their XI"

[irie Cee Bee]

I am not an Evatt basher. He is learning the art of management and has not yet reached his ceiling. However, there are games in which he has been outmanaged, mainly because he is a slave to his system, and cannot find on field solutions when it doesnt work. I see more seasoned managers in our league with lesser players find solutions to beat us. They are better than he is, and would do wonders with our team if they had it. Nonetheless, Evatt is learning and has to get us promoted. If not, I believe we need a change of manager in the summer to recruit some cheaper, tougher no nonsense in your face players to get us out of the league.

[TANGODANCER]

some cheaper, tougher no nonsense in your face players to get us out of the league.

This I fully agree with, but I think it's more getting the ones we have to learn how to be tough without falling foul of the ref. Easier I know, as we seem to be tarred with the "Bolton" brush officials are concerned. We always seem to be playing 12 men these days. Ricardo also seems to need a little less gentle giant and more ogre in his play. Even Franz Beckenbaur would have to admit football has changed and become jet-propelled since his era. We just need fine-tuning.

[The_Gun]

I am not an Evatt basher. He is learning the art of management and has not yet reached his ceiling. However, there are games in which he has been outmanaged, mainly because he is a slave to his system, and cannot find on field solutions when it doesnt work. I see more seasoned managers in our league with lesser players find solutions to beat us. They are better than he is, and would do wonders with our team if they had it. Nonetheless, Evatt is learning and has to get us promoted. If not, I believe we need a change of manager in the summer to recruit some cheaper, tougher no nonsense in your face players to get us out of the league.

I agree with your first point regarding Evatt being poor at adapting in-game, however, I really don’t see the solution being recruiting ‘cheaper no-nonsense’ players.

Our issue these last few weeks has largely been that we haven’t been able to create and finish chances, not a lack of toughness.

[McD]

However at least Dave the Minion (aka Ian Evatt) & Mar will be happy as in their opinion Evatt can't do anything wrong.

The only way that I'm renewing my ST if we are still in League 1 next season is if the manager isn't Evatt.

Seriously??? This is hilarious...

In case you need it spelling out, I'm not Ian Evatt. I'm a simple Bolton fan. One who is a damn sight more measured than most in my humble opinion, but a fan no less.
I'll admit, I am an Evatt fan. He's the best manager we've had in years. By a country mile.
Is he perfect - clearly not. Is he the most tactically and motivationally amazing manager - clearly not.
If he were he wouldn't be managing in the 3rd tier of English football
However, what he is, is our manager, and right now we should.be behind him and not making his life & job harder by berating him and looking to assign blame constantly.

A question for all you doubters - one which I've asked before and none of you have ever answered - tell me who else you would rather have? I've not heard a single person out there suggest a viable and available alternative????

As for you renewing your season ticket: clearly that's your perogative (didn't Bobby Brown once sing about perogatives???). But, for what íts worth, if you were to be sat near me and I could hear you regularly spouting your negative shite every game like many others around me, then quite frankly I won't miss you if you don't.

If though - you were to get behind the team a Nd manager and actually want them to succeed and maybe - just maybe - try to enjoy the games, then I will welcome you back with open arms

I along with all Bolton fans want us to succeed.
I also want to enjoy the games, but save for a very few matches, I have not.
I simply want a manager who has a strategy, tactics and a game-plan, which also includes a plan-B, all of which IE clearly demonstrates he lacks.
A manager that plays to players strengths, for the benefit of the team. A manager that will actively look to improve players, mentally, physically, tactically and skill wise. I would argue that most of the players he has brought in have regressed, Jón Daði Böðvarsson is a prime example of wasting an undoubted talent in favour of his "style of play", whatever that is!
Regarding referees, they are probably reacting to the tantrums and insults from our manager. Does he not know that they actually talk to each other and compare notes on managers? This possibly leads to not receiving the benefit of the doubt or worse - A self-inflicted wound, one might conclude.
Paraphrasing his quote "Playing my way is more important than the result", was the clearest sign. Add to which, he will drop and shun anyone who disagrees. Instilling confidence and positiveness in the players is an integral part of a managers job, else the "dressing room" will founder as it has no direction. His latest post match comments appear to confirm this.
Finally, 4 wins in 13 in the league since January and still no change in his style of play - Seriously?
You asked, who would replace IE. Well we play Reading tomorrow and I would have their manager NOW!
Given the squad of players, the turmoil at the club and point deductions this manager has had to endure, he has the hallmarks of a winner - Focused, adaptable and does not blame the result on his players, quite the opposite, he engenders positive energy and belief.
For context, I said this after our game at Reading to a friend who invited me and where Sharon and other Directors were in earshot, not they took any notice (I was not looking for a reaction).
Set myself up for a fall? Not in the slightest and irrespective of the result. And, I really do want us to win!
In closing, I would ask that people take off their rose tinted glasses and look at the way we play, win, lose or draw, before lauding IE as the Messiah.

[truewhite15]

However at least Dave the Minion (aka Ian Evatt) & Mar will be happy as in their opinion Evatt can't do anything wrong.

The only way that I'm renewing my ST if we are still in League 1 next season is if the manager isn't Evatt.

Seriously??? This is hilarious...

In case you need it spelling out, I'm not Ian Evatt. I'm a simple Bolton fan. One who is a damn sight more measured than most in my humble opinion, but a fan no less.
I'll admit, I am an Evatt fan. He's the best manager we've had in years. By a country mile.
Is he perfect - clearly not. Is he the most tactically and motivationally amazing manager - clearly not.
If he were he wouldn't be managing in the 3rd tier of English football
However, what he is, is our manager, and right now we should.be behind him and not making his life & job harder by berating him and looking to assign blame constantly.

A question for all you doubters - one which I've asked before and none of you have ever answered - tell me who else you would rather have? I've not heard a single person out there suggest a viable and available alternative????

As for you renewing your season ticket: clearly that's your perogative (didn't Bobby Brown once sing about perogatives???). But, for what íts worth, if you were to be sat near me and I could hear you regularly spouting your negative shite every game like many others around me, then quite frankly I won't miss you if you don't.

If though - you were to get behind the team a Nd manager and actually want them to succeed and maybe - just maybe - try to enjoy the games, then I will welcome you back with open arms

I along with all Bolton fans want us to succeed.
I also want to enjoy the games, but save for a very few matches, I have not.
I simply want a manager who has a strategy, tactics and a game-plan, which also includes a plan-B, all of which IE clearly demonstrates he lacks.
A manager that plays to players strengths, for the benefit of the team. A manager that will actively look to improve players, mentally, physically, tactically and skill wise. I would argue that most of the players he has brought in have regressed, Jón Daði Böðvarsson is a prime example of wasting an undoubted talent in favour of his "style of play", whatever that is!
Regarding referees, they are probably reacting to the tantrums and insults from our manager. Does he not know that they actually talk to each other and compare notes on managers? This possibly leads to not receiving the benefit of the doubt or worse - A self-inflicted wound, one might conclude.
Paraphrasing his quote "Playing my way is more important than the result", was the clearest sign. Add to which, he will drop and shun anyone who disagrees. Instilling confidence and positiveness in the players is an integral part of a managers job, else the "dressing room" will founder as it has no direction. His latest post match comments appear to confirm this.
Finally, 4 wins in 13 in the league since January and still no change in his style of play - Seriously?
You asked, who would replace IE. Well we play Reading tomorrow and I would have their manager NOW!
Given the squad of players, the turmoil at the club and point deductions this manager has had to endure, he has the hallmarks of a winner - Focused, adaptable and does not blame the result on his players, quite the opposite, he engenders positive energy and belief.
For context, I said this after our game at Reading to a friend who invited me and where Sharon and other Directors were in earshot, not they took any notice (I was not looking for a reaction).
Set myself up for a fall? Not in the slightest and irrespective of the result. And, I really do want us to win!
In closing, I would ask that people take off their rose tinted glasses and look at the way we play, win, lose or draw, before lauding IE as the Messiah.

There is nobody on here lauding IE as the messiah. He's a flawed manager. As all managers at this level are.

He is, however, our most successful manager in years, and when his style of play works, it is very, very good.

For all the lack of people who think Evatt's the best manager this side of Guardiola, however, there seems to be plenty of people, like you, who think he's the complete opposite, and point-blank refuse to see any of the good things he's brought to the club. Rose-tinters vs shit specs. I know which side of the divide I'd rather be on.

[irie Cee Bee]

I am not an Evatt basher. He is learning the art of management and has not yet reached his ceiling. However, there are games in which he has been outmanaged, mainly because he is a slave to his system, and cannot find on field solutions when it doesnt work. I see more seasoned managers in our league with lesser players find solutions to beat us. They are better than he is, and would do wonders with our team if they had it. Nonetheless, Evatt is learning and has to get us promoted. If not, I believe we need a change of manager in the summer to recruit some cheaper, tougher no nonsense in your face players to get us out of the league.

I agree with your first point regarding Evatt being poor at adapting in-game, however, I really don’t see the solution being recruiting ‘cheaper no-nonsense’ players.

Our issue these last few weeks has largely been that we haven’t been able to create and finish chances, not a lack of toughness.

Simply because if we are in L1 next season, we wont have the money be able to buy technical players. Also, I watched our last game and saw players playing against us who would not even make our present bench, yet who put in a shift and made it very difficult for us, just by ensuring that we "feel" every tackle they make. It wore us down. We need some players like that in our team. We only Thomason who does that. need a few more.

[officer_dibble]

There is a question for me as to whether our league one players are good enough to play the football demanded of them, to the level of consistency required. Champagne football with pub players or something like that? Dacres Cogley is a prime example, he puts the yards in, wins his battles, but his passing doesn’t get to it’s target often enough. Kyle Dempsey is another for me - I like him, he’s all action and he doesn’t shirk, but is he good enough to do what is being asked of him consistently?

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

There is a question for me as to whether our league one players are good enough to play the football demanded of them, to the level of consistency required. Champagne football with pub players or something like that? Dacres Cogley is a prime example, he puts the yards in, wins his battles, but his passing doesn’t get to it’s target often enough. Kyle Dempsey is another for me - I like him, he’s all action and he doesn’t shirk, but is he good enough to do what is being asked of him consistently?

More or less where I'm at. Too many players can't deliver the quality in the final third consistently enough to make best use of our set-up. I think we've got a good bunch of players, but too much is being asked of them. They can deliver it occasionally as evidenced by games like Oxford, but not often enough. They are close and if we had better delivery we'd not be discussing this as we'd be be a good dozen points better off.

I do think we all need to ditch the negativity right now. If we can lift the confidence around the club then the team are good enough to get enough points...with a little luck. COYWM

[Mar]

There is nobody on here lauding IE as the messiah. He's a flawed manager. As all managers at this level are.

He is, however, our most successful manager in years, and when his style of play works, it is very, very good.

For all the lack of people who think Evatt's the best manager this side of Guardiola, however, there seems to be plenty of people, like you, who think he's the complete opposite, and point-blank refuse to see any of the good things he's brought to the club. Rose-tinters vs shit specs. I know which side of the divide I'd rather be on.

Quite like that, rose-tinters vs. shit specs.

This seems to be the issue at the minute. Frustration being divisive. We're decent, but frustrating, put that down to Evatt's tactics, the players performances, the body language, the lack of a plan-B, whatever it is, we are frustrating. We all know it, we all know we could be better and play better, but we're frustating.

I'm very much of the rose-tinter variety, there's more good than bad here and we need to tweak it to make it work. I'll not begrudge fans for having alternate views, but I would think that it serves little purpose to criticise and abuse when it's fairly evident we're not going to be replacing the manager any time soon. We don't have that sort of board room thankfully.

There is a question for me as to whether our league one players are good enough to play the football demanded of them, to the level of consistency required. Champagne football with pub players or something like that? Dacres Cogley is a prime example, he puts the yards in, wins his battles, but his passing doesn’t get to it’s target often enough. Kyle Dempsey is another for me - I like him, he’s all action and he doesn’t shirk, but is he good enough to do what is being asked of him consistently?

More or less where I'm at. Too many players can't deliver the quality in the final third consistently enough to make best use of our set-up. I think we've got a good bunch of players, but too much is being asked of them. They can deliver it occasionally as evidenced by games like Oxford, but not often enough. They are close and if we had better delivery we'd not be discussing this as we'd be be a good dozen points better off.

I do think we all need to ditch the negativity right now. If we can lift the confidence around the club then the team are good enough to get enough points...with a little luck. COYWM

I'm hoping the team will put out a decent showing against Reading and rally the fans and team for the run in.

As for the are the players good enough, I think they are. Take a look at Conor Bradley for example. In the last twenty games he played for us, and how pivotal he was to our system last season he managed only one goal. One goal, zero assists in 20 games. JDC is doing better than that in his last twenty. So its not as though our players can't do it, its just that its a hell of a lot harder at this moment in time.

Our system and style is evident and teams know how to nullify those wingers. When we play well we get the goals despite the opposition knowing how we play. We need to get a way of making our style work. I think its pace on the counter and riskier passing on the break. Hard to do when we've had JDB and Jerome up top covering for our pacey strikers. That's not their role, so we're bound to find it hard.

[irie Cee Bee]

There is a question for me as to whether our league one players are good enough to play the football demanded of them, to the level of consistency required. Champagne football with pub players or something like that? Dacres Cogley is a prime example, he puts the yards in, wins his battles, but his passing doesn’t get to it’s target often enough. Kyle Dempsey is another for me - I like him, he’s all action and he doesn’t shirk, but is he good enough to do what is being asked of him consistently?

Good question this. I think our players are good enough to play the system if given the space to do so, or if the other team also plays open against us. Then we look really good and some of our play is top class. We struggle when teams press us because we don't have many Maghoma's who can take it in tight spaces because our first touch is not the best. We struggle against teams who set up a defensive block and prevent our wing backs and forwards from running in behind.

As such, we need tactical solutions to those situations. Evatt wants our players to find solutions to this on the field. I would say, for these situations, we need other types of players with a more physical presence to change the system and do some ugly damage further up the field to facilitate a change of tactic. Someone like a younger Jerome. Players at this level can't do everything. If they are physical, they cant run; If they can dribble, they cant cross; if they are dribblers they can't tackle; if they can shoot, their first touch is poor; If they can defend, they lose concentration at critical times.

They try hard and are good players but are in L1 because of limitations. If we get promoted, we will need to bring in better players to help them. If we don't get promoted, we need to get in more physical players to give us other options on the field.

[Worthy4England]

I'm getting a bit lost on the "best manager for years" - I mean Allardyce started quarter of a century ago. More recently, last 10 years, we've had the tail end of Freedman, Lennon, Parky, Hill and then we're heading up to completing year 4 of IE. I think most would agree, Dougie, NL and Hill weren't very good for us and Parky had the sinking ship shift. But Parky still got us out of this Division.

Until recently people were rightly pointing to how good pre-Christmas was, but that's only half a season and the league placements aren't decided over half a season. We've heard about the 100 goals in a year stuff, but if we look at where the league positions were in 2017 vs now, on most metrics, Parky is in front (at the 40 game mark)

2017 - P40, W22, D10, L8, F62, A34, GD28, Points 76
Today - P40, W22, D9, L9, F71, A43, GD28, Points 75.

That isn't some "level of greatness" above Parky at this stage, in the round and there's some way to go in 2024 for this team to end up with more than 86 points.

The difference in goals, if you wanted to be picky is Exeter and perm any other 2-nil difference, and the cost of our expansive passing game is we're shunting more in at the back for the same GD.

Which sort of brings me round to OD and ICB's posts. Whilst there's nowt to choose in terms of "Stats that matter" (TM) - the system does seem to be unnecessarily one-dimensional as this seems to be "the only way to do it." Whilst I like our squad in general, they don't half seem to be over-sensitive luvvies and you wonder whether the requirements of our style in a L1 context is it's largest downfall (alongside it's biggest upside).

For me I haven't got more than a fag between Evatt and Parky so he's around joint top out of 3 in the last 8 years.

[McD]

However at least Dave the Minion (aka Ian Evatt) & Mar will be happy as in their opinion Evatt can't do anything wrong.

The only way that I'm renewing my ST if we are still in League 1 next season is if the manager isn't Evatt.

Seriously??? This is hilarious...

In case you need it spelling out, I'm not Ian Evatt. I'm a simple Bolton fan. One who is a damn sight more measured than most in my humble opinion, but a fan no less.
I'll admit, I am an Evatt fan. He's the best manager we've had in years. By a country mile.
Is he perfect - clearly not. Is he the most tactically and motivationally amazing manager - clearly not.
If he were he wouldn't be managing in the 3rd tier of English football
However, what he is, is our manager, and right now we should.be behind him and not making his life & job harder by berating him and looking to assign blame constantly.

A question for all you doubters - one which I've asked before and none of you have ever answered - tell me who else you would rather have? I've not heard a single person out there suggest a viable and available alternative????

As for you renewing your season ticket: clearly that's your perogative (didn't Bobby Brown once sing about perogatives???). But, for what íts worth, if you were to be sat near me and I could hear you regularly spouting your negative shite every game like many others around me, then quite frankly I won't miss you if you don't.

If though - you were to get behind the team a Nd manager and actually want them to succeed and maybe - just maybe - try to enjoy the games, then I will welcome you back with open arms

I along with all Bolton fans want us to succeed.
I also want to enjoy the games, but save for a very few matches, I have not.
I simply want a manager who has a strategy, tactics and a game-plan, which also includes a plan-B, all of which IE clearly demonstrates he lacks.
A manager that plays to players strengths, for the benefit of the team. A manager that will actively look to improve players, mentally, physically, tactically and skill wise. I would argue that most of the players he has brought in have regressed, Jón Daði Böðvarsson is a prime example of wasting an undoubted talent in favour of his "style of play", whatever that is!
Regarding referees, they are probably reacting to the tantrums and insults from our manager. Does he not know that they actually talk to each other and compare notes on managers? This possibly leads to not receiving the benefit of the doubt or worse - A self-inflicted wound, one might conclude.
Paraphrasing his quote "Playing my way is more important than the result", was the clearest sign. Add to which, he will drop and shun anyone who disagrees. Instilling confidence and positiveness in the players is an integral part of a managers job, else the "dressing room" will founder as it has no direction. His latest post match comments appear to confirm this.
Finally, 4 wins in 13 in the league since January and still no change in his style of play - Seriously?
You asked, who would replace IE. Well we play Reading tomorrow and I would have their manager NOW!
Given the squad of players, the turmoil at the club and point deductions this manager has had to endure, he has the hallmarks of a winner - Focused, adaptable and does not blame the result on his players, quite the opposite, he engenders positive energy and belief.
For context, I said this after our game at Reading to a friend who invited me and where Sharon and other Directors were in earshot, not they took any notice (I was not looking for a reaction).
Set myself up for a fall? Not in the slightest and irrespective of the result. And, I really do want us to win!
In closing, I would ask that people take off their rose tinted glasses and look at the way we play, win, lose or draw, before lauding IE as the Messiah.

There is nobody on here lauding IE as the messiah. He's a flawed manager. As all managers at this level are.

He is, however, our most successful manager in years, and when his style of play works, it is very, very good.

For all the lack of people who think Evatt's the best manager this side of Guardiola, however, there seems to be plenty of people, like you, who think he's the complete opposite, and point-blank refuse to see any of the good things he's brought to the club. Rose-tinters vs shit specs. I know which side of the divide I'd rather be on.

The wearers of rose tinted glasses, see only the results - Not how we achieved or failed to achieve results.
IE is all about IE, nobody else, hence the comment about "receipts in his pocket".
When things go badly for him, he blames the players, no-one else. He then prostrates himself by saying how much he loves the club - very sad indeed. I wonder if he loves the club that much, to admit he is not the man for the job?

[truewhite15]

However at least Dave the Minion (aka Ian Evatt) & Mar will be happy as in their opinion Evatt can't do anything wrong.

The only way that I'm renewing my ST if we are still in League 1 next season is if the manager isn't Evatt.

Seriously??? This is hilarious...

In case you need it spelling out, I'm not Ian Evatt. I'm a simple Bolton fan. One who is a damn sight more measured than most in my humble opinion, but a fan no less.
I'll admit, I am an Evatt fan. He's the best manager we've had in years. By a country mile.
Is he perfect - clearly not. Is he the most tactically and motivationally amazing manager - clearly not.
If he were he wouldn't be managing in the 3rd tier of English football
However, what he is, is our manager, and right now we should.be behind him and not making his life & job harder by berating him and looking to assign blame constantly.

A question for all you doubters - one which I've asked before and none of you have ever answered - tell me who else you would rather have? I've not heard a single person out there suggest a viable and available alternative????

As for you renewing your season ticket: clearly that's your perogative (didn't Bobby Brown once sing about perogatives???). But, for what íts worth, if you were to be sat near me and I could hear you regularly spouting your negative shite every game like many others around me, then quite frankly I won't miss you if you don't.

If though - you were to get behind the team a Nd manager and actually want them to succeed and maybe - just maybe - try to enjoy the games, then I will welcome you back with open arms

I along with all Bolton fans want us to succeed.
I also want to enjoy the games, but save for a very few matches, I have not.
I simply want a manager who has a strategy, tactics and a game-plan, which also includes a plan-B, all of which IE clearly demonstrates he lacks.
A manager that plays to players strengths, for the benefit of the team. A manager that will actively look to improve players, mentally, physically, tactically and skill wise. I would argue that most of the players he has brought in have regressed, Jón Daði Böðvarsson is a prime example of wasting an undoubted talent in favour of his "style of play", whatever that is!
Regarding referees, they are probably reacting to the tantrums and insults from our manager. Does he not know that they actually talk to each other and compare notes on managers? This possibly leads to not receiving the benefit of the doubt or worse - A self-inflicted wound, one might conclude.
Paraphrasing his quote "Playing my way is more important than the result", was the clearest sign. Add to which, he will drop and shun anyone who disagrees. Instilling confidence and positiveness in the players is an integral part of a managers job, else the "dressing room" will founder as it has no direction. His latest post match comments appear to confirm this.
Finally, 4 wins in 13 in the league since January and still no change in his style of play - Seriously?
You asked, who would replace IE. Well we play Reading tomorrow and I would have their manager NOW!
Given the squad of players, the turmoil at the club and point deductions this manager has had to endure, he has the hallmarks of a winner - Focused, adaptable and does not blame the result on his players, quite the opposite, he engenders positive energy and belief.
For context, I said this after our game at Reading to a friend who invited me and where Sharon and other Directors were in earshot, not they took any notice (I was not looking for a reaction).
Set myself up for a fall? Not in the slightest and irrespective of the result. And, I really do want us to win!
In closing, I would ask that people take off their rose tinted glasses and look at the way we play, win, lose or draw, before lauding IE as the Messiah.

There is nobody on here lauding IE as the messiah. He's a flawed manager. As all managers at this level are.

He is, however, our most successful manager in years, and when his style of play works, it is very, very good.

For all the lack of people who think Evatt's the best manager this side of Guardiola, however, there seems to be plenty of people, like you, who think he's the complete opposite, and point-blank refuse to see any of the good things he's brought to the club. Rose-tinters vs shit specs. I know which side of the divide I'd rather be on.

The wearers of rose tinted glasses, see only the results - Not how we achieved or failed to achieve results.
IE is all about IE, nobody else, hence the comment about "receipts in his pocket".
When things go badly for him, he blames the players, no-one else. He then prostrates himself by saying how much he loves the club - very sad indeed. I wonder if he loves the club that much, to admit he is not the man for the job?

What was the score today, mate? You must have been gutted.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Naw, to be fair he said couple of posts earlier that "I really do want us to win" - and I'm sure he does. We all do, we just squabble over how best to do it.

Thing is, the mood on here after disappointing results has become so toxic that I for one can't be arsed.

Others are very much keen to be arsed. Whatever floats their boat. Life's too short for bickering with people who'll never agree.

[Mar]

Naw, to be fair he said couple of posts earlier that "I really do want us to win" - and I'm sure he does. We all do, we just squabble over how best to do it.

Thing is, the mood on here after disappointing results has become so toxic that I for one can't be arsed.

Others are very much keen to be arsed. Whatever floats their boat. Life's too short for bickering with people who'll never agree.

He's been a member of this forum for a good three and a half years and has posted 24 times with only two of those being positive, one reflecting on Parkinson's promotion win and the other for Evatt's promotion win where it was a backhanded compliment saying he didn't recognise the squad.

The rest has been posts to criticise Evatt.

I understand being critical of the manager, but if someone finds it in themselves to come on an spout criticism at a managers low points and not do the same at their high points (such as winning a cup, or beating Sunderland 6-0) then I think it says more about them as a person than it does about our managers competencies as a manager.


Thankfully I think the critics add a nice bit of variety on the site, but it very much seems like at times we've got trolls crawling out the woodwork like the Wigan fans. Ready and willing to jump on the abuse bandwagon rather than getting behind the team.