Snog, Marry, Avoid: Summer 2023 Transfer Window

[The_Gun]

Yeah, I took that to mean that he doesn't particularly like John and would like to see him gone, but there's no move currently in the offing.

[BWFC_Insane]

Listened to the radio interview on the way in to work – a slow march through molasses, and I'm not talking about the commute - but annoyingly didn't get to the Matheson quote. Maybe I can sneak a listen in a bit.

He did say he hopes/expects to get "one or two more" in, but quickly followed this by noting that it depends who's available, harder to get the quality of players we want (he either strongly implied or outright said Maghoma was wanted by Championship teams), mentioned January as another chance to hire.

He was also asked directly "What's goin' on wi' Declan John?" and trotted out the usual stuff about picking teams on what he sees, everyone having the chance to impress the manager, etc and so on.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0g01045

It was utterly painful wasnt it? Two overly eager presenters leaving Dearden to twiddle his thumbs and barely got any real fan questions in.

Evatt clearly very unimpressed. Though I do think he’s doing a grumpy act on purpose.

The only thing that struck me was the massive similarities to Allardyce at same age. Wanting to import ideas from American sport. Can’t see himself being a manager till he’s too old due to how intense it is (remember that quote Big Sam?). Wants to take bolton to the premiership. Getting as prickly as Allardyce was too.

I think in fairness asking the man to stop watching the ashes at that point was always going to be disastrous.

He did say they beat championship interest in Maghoma but who knows how serious that was. Also I noted he didn’t want to enthuse about new signings too much. Definitely playing everything down. Which is good.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Listened to the radio interview on the way in to work – a slow march through molasses, and I'm not talking about the commute - but annoyingly didn't get to the Matheson quote. Maybe I can sneak a listen in a bit.

It was utterly painful wasnt it? Two overly eager presenters leaving Dearden to twiddle his thumbs and barely got any real fan questions in.

Dear God. First question was about whether to use courgetttes in bolognese sauce. I shit you not, non-listeners.

The only thing that struck me was the massive similarities to Allardyce at same age. Wanting to import ideas from American sport.

Ah yes, he did say that. Set piece coaches, attacking coaches, defensive coaches. Seems to want more input, which is good as I feared (particularly early on) that he only wanted yes-men. Obviously any manager can just hire people to confirm his biases but I suspect Evatt has loftier ambitions than that, and his managerial heroes have generally also been happy to take on input: Fergie regularly welcomed a new assistant manager; Pep wants the best backroom possible; and enthuses publicly about them, Klopp hired a throw-in coach (and was lampooned for it on Twitter until it started winning matches for them).

Also interesting to note that when asked to name managers he admires, after Pep and Klopp he named De Zerbi for "in-possession" work. Box midfield ahoy...

Anyway, some more quotes. Question prompts in brackets.

(Matheson?)
Potentially we might have some news with that tomorrow, so I'd keep looking at our social media and you might see one or two announcements.

(Signings)
What we've tried to do is give ourselves players with different skillsets – in every position – to carefully select who's the right player for the right occasion and the with opponent. Mentioning Declan (John) before, we've got Declan and Randell (Williams), and obviously young Zac (Ashworth) now, Jack Iredale on the left side – and they all offer different things. So we have the capability to change - some away games are different to the home games - and what we'll try and do is select the right team for the right opponent on the right occasion.

(Do we need to replace George Johnston with another defender?)
Potentially. Obviously that was a huge loss for us.... We're always pen to improving the squad and with losing George we are potentially one man down. Eoin Toal's recovering really well from injury so he should be back pretty soon. But as I said we've got until the end of August to look at the squad and try and improve it where we deem necessary.


We'll do our best to improve the squad as best we can, and sometimes that's permanent signings, sometimes that's loan signings. Obviously we want to develop our own and own our players, but if a really good player becomes available that we can loan for a season – to help us in the short term, but also to help the player and the parent club with development time – we'll do that and make that decision as best we can.

(Happy with the forwards?)
Yeah I'm happy. We've got five centre-forwards and Carlos Mendes Gomes who can play as a centre-forward. I think we've got a really talented group of forward players. Obviously people want goalscorers and we're doing our best to have as many as we possibly can... We're happy with that group at the moment.

(Why is 3-5-2 your favourite formation?)
It's not my favourite formation, 4-3-3 is actually my favourite formation, but I select a team which can have success with the current squad of players that we've got and the ones we've recruited for. What I will say is people get fixated with formations. Yes, we might start the game 3-5-2 but in-game we can look like 4-3-3, we can look like 4-2-3-1, because we rotate in and out of positions, we can keep the opposition guessing – and like I said earlier, recruiting players, we want players that are multidimensional and can play in different positions, so there's lots of freedom within that 3-5-2.

[sonicthewhite]

Interesting insight.

[The_Gun]

I also took from what he was saying about loans that we don’t have a buy option with Maghoma.

[GhostoftheBok]

The Bolton Wanderers manager quoting Thatcher was perhaps a new low.

"I remember Augusto Pinochet once said that if you have the ball then the opposition can't score and I've tried to live by that."

[Prufrock]

If the pitch hasn't improved we might have to take inspiration from the Sandanistas.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I also took from what he was saying about loans that we don’t have a buy option with Maghoma.

Yeah, there was a clearly implied (but unspoken) distinction between that and Ashworth. Doesn't mean we won't be able to strike a deal next summer, but obviously the better a loanee does, the more likely to higher-division club is to see worth in him.

The Bolton Wanderers manager quoting Thatcher was perhaps a new low.

"I remember Augusto Pinochet once said that if you have the ball then the opposition can't score and I've tried to live by that."

Not just quoting, but self-comparing...

(If you missed it, it was about criticism, Evatt sympathising with Thatcher's quote that if she walked on water her critics would say it because she couldn't swim. Although she seems to have said "if I walked over the Thames," which is entirely possible via several bridges, one right outside Parliament.)

[BWFC_Insane]

The Bolton Wanderers manager quoting Thatcher was perhaps a new low.

"I remember Augusto Pinochet once said that if you have the ball then the opposition can't score and I've tried to live by that."

Yeah and unfortunately I don’t think it was ironic either.

Also said he likes transfer windows as a concept.

Probably voted for Brexit.

[officer_dibble]

Kachunga has got a new club. Cambridge United. Good luck to him (not against us).

[BWFC_Insane]

Matheson confirmed as a B team signing.

https://twitter.com/bwfcbandacademy/sta ... o4TppbHkNQ

[Harry Genshaw]

The Bolton Wanderers manager quoting Thatcher was perhaps a new low.

"I remember Augusto Pinochet once said that if you have the ball then the opposition can't score and I've tried to live by that."

I'd be more likely to compare the Chilean general with Gary Megson to be honest. They both tortured folk in football stadia

I'm here all week

[sonicthewhite]

I would be quite shocked if Matheson agreed to sign for the B team.

Someone get Bertie the smelling salts

[sonicthewhite]

Matheson confirmed as a B team signing.

https://twitter.com/bwfcbandacademy/sta ... o4TppbHkNQ

I reckon Evatt sold him the B team deal by saying that if he plays consistently well for the B team then a longer first team contract will be on offer.

[GhostoftheBok]

Matheson confirmed as a B team signing.

https://twitter.com/bwfcbandacademy/sta ... o4TppbHkNQ

Very happy about that. Surprised he's gone to the Bs and I think that's a statement for them, but delighted he's not a first team signing.

Loads of talent, but not the level we need right now.

[boltonboris]

(If you missed it, it was about criticism, Evatt sympathising with Thatcher's quote that if she walked on water her critics would say it because she couldn't swim.

He got that from Quarterback last week!!

[Mar]

Matheson confirmed as a B team signing.

https://twitter.com/bwfcbandacademy/sta ... o4TppbHkNQ

Very happy about that. Surprised he's gone to the Bs and I think that's a statement for them, but delighted he's not a first team signing.

Loads of talent, but not the level we need right now.

The B-Team have sometimes featured for the senior squad. Makes sense that Matheson is a B-Teamer as it will allow him to focus on those matches rather than perennially sitting out the squad. I'd suspect given his ability he'll be one of those on the fringes of the squad and more likely to be given a chance, but it seems like a good deal for him and the club.

[officer_dibble]

Matheson confirmed as a B team signing.

https://twitter.com/bwfcbandacademy/sta ... o4TppbHkNQ

I reckon Evatt sold him the B team deal by saying that if he plays consistently well for the B team then a longer first team contract will be on offer.

He might have been badly advised earlier in his career and taken stock.

[The_Gun]

I guess Matheson is backing himself to play his way into the first team picture at Wanderers. From our perspective it looks to be a low-risk, potentially high-reward move.

Our B team certainly looks to be a good bit stronger this season, so hopefully we start seeing some of these lads breaking through.

[truewhite15]

Wouldn't be surprised to see him get minutes vs Barrow next Tuesday. See also Toal, E and Bodvarsson, J.