Grecians, but bearing no gifts. Away to Exeter, Sat, 4th Jan. 3'0 clock

[jmjhb]

Getting promoted would lead to a lot of development off the pitch, there's a lot of untapped potential.

Hard to do so when currently a mid-table League One club.

[dave the minion]

We haven't got a team now that could compete I the Championship, but we also didn't last season, the season before or the season before that!
Regardless of the current feeling around the club, whichever year we go up is always going to be grim.
Can't we just focus on doing what needs to be done this season, without already trying to blame Evatt for what might happen next season if we do somehow find a way to promotion!!!

[BWFC_Insane]

Getting promoted would lead to a lot of development off the pitch, there's a lot of untapped potential.

Hard to do so when currently a mid-table League One club.

Yep indeed. And hopefully staves off any impending funding issues. It’s an absolute necessary and was last season.

[GhostoftheBok]

If Evatt had two promotions under his belt he'd absolutely get and deserve more time from most fans.

You can't have it that "outcomes are all that matter" and also that "outcomes aren't what matter."

If he got us up then that's that. Well done to him and crack on for a bit.

[The_Gun]

Getting promoted would lead to a lot of development off the pitch, there's a lot of untapped potential.

Hard to do so when currently a mid-table League One club.

Yep indeed. And hopefully staves off any impending funding issues. It’s an absolute necessary and was last season.

Is it very likely that there are funding issues when we’re seemingly about to splash a million quid on Joel Randall?

[GhostoftheBok]

Is it very likely that there are funding issues when we’re seemingly about to splash a million quid on Joel Randall?

...one of three we're after.

Clearly there's no immediate cash issue. Doesn't mean there won't be issues in the medium/long term, especially if ticket revenue is significantly lower.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

But let’s be clear he starts next season in the championship it will be a slog. Most games we will be defending mainly. I don’t see a team here currently set up for that. And I just don’t think any patience exists now. They wasted that in the last two seasons. Going up for me would have given the club a chance to build and improve before coming back down. But now it feels too late for that and Evatt is too disliked for that to be given any real credibility.

See, this is an interesting point. I mean, it's miles away down a road full of ifs, but it's Sunday and I'm bored at work so let's talk.

We all know the gap between Third and Second Divisions is growing and that most second-tier teams run at a loss somewhere between eye-watering, mind-boggling and life-endangering. Clearly if we go up we have to find a way to survive - primarily literally as a club, ie don't spend money we ain't got, but also in the competition as a team, ie don't get relegated.

Had we been promoted again under Evatt after three seasons, two seasons or especially one, it's tempting to think there might be enough goodwill for the manager to survive. There's precedent for teams bobbing between the divisions - Wycombe and especially Rotherham - with the notion that each time you have a better chance.

But would that really have been the case? How many times have Bolton been relegated without the manager either losing his job or at the very least losing a sizeable slice of the support? We all knew Parky was fighting horrific odds, but he didn't exactly have a 100% personal approval rating. Would the fanbase regard a relegated Evatt as the man to take us back up?

The three clubs promoted around us last season are an interesting comparison. Pompey have been in the drop zone (and will be again this afternoon if they lose at 4th-placed Sunderland) but seem to be sticking by Mousinho. Oxford are currently 4pts above the dots but dispensed with local-lad-made-good Buckingham despite him still being well-regarded by a lot of fans. And Derby? Their fans are deeply, bitterly divided, as Marc Iles noted on the train home from Exeter:

That would be the Paul Warne who took them up last season, who has several third-tier promotions on his CV – but no second-tier survivals, yet. Neither has Evatt, but that wouldn't stop people wondering. Especially after he's lost their faith before - and even, in this hypothetical universe, if he were to win (some of) it back by doing what only one previous Bolton manager has ever done, by taking us up two divisions.

[jmjhb]

Getting promoted would lead to a lot of development off the pitch, there's a lot of untapped potential.

Hard to do so when currently a mid-table League One club.

Yep indeed. And hopefully staves off any impending funding issues. It’s an absolute necessary and was last season.

Is it very likely that there are funding issues when we’re seemingly about to splash a million quid on Joel Randall?

I'd say it's more a case of making it sustainable.

[GhostoftheBok]

Especially after he's lost their faith before - and even, in this hypothetical universe, if he were to win (some of) it back by doing what only one previous Bolton manager has ever done, by taking us up two divisions.

The reality is almost every manager who has done well the previous season goes into the new season at zero. Almost every manager who has had a bad season the term before goes in with heavy baggage.

It takes a manager with a long history of actually winning things to get a complete pass on a disastrous period. See Pep at the minute.

Football is pretty ruthless. You're only as good as your last game, but you're as bad as your entire record - plus some spite.

[BWFC_Insane]

But let’s be clear he starts next season in the championship it will be a slog. Most games we will be defending mainly. I don’t see a team here currently set up for that. And I just don’t think any patience exists now. They wasted that in the last two seasons. Going up for me would have given the club a chance to build and improve before coming back down. But now it feels too late for that and Evatt is too disliked for that to be given any real credibility.

See, this is an interesting point. I mean, it's miles away down a road full of ifs, but it's Sunday and I'm bored at work so let's talk.

We all know the gap between Third and Second Divisions is growing and that most second-tier teams run at a loss somewhere between eye-watering, mind-boggling and life-endangering. Clearly if we go up we have to find a way to survive - primarily literally as a club, ie don't spend money we ain't got, but also in the competition as a team, ie don't get relegated.

Had we been promoted again under Evatt after three seasons, two seasons or especially one, it's tempting to think there might be enough goodwill for the manager to survive. There's precedent for teams bobbing between the divisions - Wycombe and especially Rotherham - with the notion that each time you have a better chance.

But would that really have been the case? How many times have Bolton been relegated without the manager either losing his job or at the very least losing a sizeable slice of the support? We all knew Parky was fighting horrific odds, but he didn't exactly have a 100% personal approval rating. Would the fanbase regard a relegated Evatt as the man to take us back up?

The three clubs promoted around us last season are an interesting comparison. Pompey have been in the drop zone (and will be again this afternoon if they lose at 4th-placed Sunderland) but seem to be sticking by Mousinho. Oxford are currently 4pts above the dots but dispensed with local-lad-made-good Buckingham despite him still being well-regarded by a lot of fans. And Derby? Their fans are deeply, bitterly divided, as Marc Iles noted on the train home from Exeter:

That would be the Paul Warne who took them up last season, who has several third-tier promotions on his CV – but no second-tier survivals, yet. Neither has Evatt, but that wouldn't stop people wondering. Especially after he's lost their faith before - and even, in this hypothetical universe, if he were to win (some of) it back by doing what only one previous Bolton manager has ever done, by taking us up two divisions.

I mean I believe historically I said that if we went up there was a reasonable chance we’d come back down but if we strengthened and used the extra revenue wisely it would be ok.

I agree that had we gone up two seasons back and struggled Evatt would have come under some fire but I suspect he would have had more momentum and enough in the bank to ride it out so long as people believed we would continue to progress.

Now though - I think definitely that wouldn’t be the case. For me we are a worse side than the one that housed Traff and Bradley and that I suspect is a bit damning having spent a lot of money since then. But that’s my opinion not worth much.

But I don’t know anyone who has much enthusiasm left for it all and that’s a bad place to be. Momentum is a big thing and without finding some it does become a slog.

Evatt though undoubtedly has a lot less capital in the bank with fans should we end up struggling the league above and that I think would be problematic as the crowd is already teetering away. As we know bottom end of the championship is a less than pleasant existence.

[Worthy4England]

You can pretty much find a case or two in football to debate either way round. Oxford who we thrashed are currently the best placed of the three who went up...

[Spartan2]

What happened with the racist abuse?

[boltonboris]

I thought we played well in patches, but the defence is really struggling. Lack of cohesion, lack of communication and they look panicky, which I suppose is to be expected.

- Thomason's on the ball ability needs to improve, as he's got such potential
- Schon whilst slightly unlucky with his booking, needs to stay out of the book more. He's not going to finish games on a tightrope and he's too good not to have for a quarter of the match.
- Dion. Workrate can create something when the chips are down. Who knew?
- Collins was pretty anonymous, but pops up with a crucial goal. When/if the team gets going, he's going to be integral. I'd start him with Charles for the next few games. Give them a run.
- McAtee. I do think he'll come good, but not quite happening for him at the mo.
- Lolos. Bench him and get back to a midfield 3.
- Morley needs to be in the team now alongside Matete and Thomason. Get those 3 working together with a proper front 2. It gives the best balance

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

- Schon whilst slightly unlucky with his booking, needs to stay out of the book more. He's not going to finish games on a tightrope and he's too good not to have for a quarter of the match.

Whether by accident or design (cards, fitness, rotation), Szabi's only finished three matches of the 12 he's started since late October. Personally I don't mind us refreshing the wingbacks around the 60-70 minute mark if we've got decent options - Randell's having a good moment, Tutu is threatening (and often needs to be sub rather than start), Szabi's a promising little player. But I do agree that he does pick up some unwise bookings. Yeah, we want commitment and tackling, but applied wisely.

- Dion. Workrate can create something when the chips are down. Who knew?
- Collins was pretty anonymous, but pops up with a crucial goal. When/if the team gets going, he's going to be integral. I'd start him with Charles for the next few games. Give them a run.
- McAtee. I do think he'll come good, but not quite happening for him at the mo.

Been lots of talk about how useful "angry Dion" can be, as opposed to "sulky Dion" - well, he's never had a spell like this of being benched (four times in five games) for us, so hopefully he harnesses it. I agree, I would pair those two and have McAtee (plus Vic if fit/unsold, Lolos if not) coming off the bench. But while I'm very glad to see Collins hit his best run of scoring form for us, here's a note - a mate has a theory that we've gone a bit shit ever since we split the Dion/Vic partnership up... is correlation causation?

- Lolos. Bench him and get back to a midfield 3.
- Morley needs to be in the team now alongside Matete and Thomason. Get those 3 working together with a proper front 2. It gives the best balance

Agree Lolos needs to keep learning, preferably from the bench - he's definitely a keen type to bring on and add impetus, probably up front but maybe as a free 8 if we're chasing. Would you maintain the Matete-Morley-Thomo trio when Sheehan's back? What about Randall?

[boltonboris]

I'd have Matete, Morley, Thomo in there at the moment.

If we signed Randall tomorrow, you could preen any 3 of those 4 to make a decent triumvirate

Add Sheehan back into the mix and you could preen any 3 of those 4 to make a decent triumvirate

When all are fit, I'd probably have Sheehan, Thomo and Randall but that does look lightweight.

Morley, Matete and Thomo probably gives us the most steel/energy

Morley, Sheehan and Randall gives us the most creativity, but there's nobody in there to offer us a presence off the ball

[boltonboris]

I don't see a midfield of Sheehan, Matete, Randall happening

Nor do I see a midfield of Sheehan, Morley, Randall happening

Looking at these groupings, I actually see Randall's inclusion taking away from the development of the others

[Bertie Wooster]

For me it would be Matete, Morley & Randall.

[boltonboris]

For me it would be Matete, Morley & Randall.

I can see the logic in that. Especially at home. But whilst I don't think Thomo's playing well at the moment, it's hard to see a midfield without him.

[HMX]

For me it would be Matete, Morley & Randall.

I can see the logic in that. Especially at home. But whilst I don't think Thomo's playing well at the moment, it's hard to see a midfield without him.

Or a captain. I think he has to stay.

[Bertie Wooster]

For me it would be Matete, Morley & Randall.

I can see the logic in that. Especially at home. But whilst I don't think Thomo's playing well at the moment, it's hard to see a midfield without him.

Or a captain. I think he has to stay.

So what just carry on playing him, even though he has been poor for months (apart from 20 mins against Blackpool) - just because he's captain, sounds like something Evatt would do.