Like many Bolton fans, I have become a little apathetic about our season at this stage. We will not be going up and we are almost certainly not going down. There have been grim moments this season such as the 7-1 hiding received at the hands of Reading and games that provided a glimmer of hope and signs of life - such as the 4-0 thumping of Blackburn followed up with the 5-1 walloping of Leeds a week later.
There have been some interesting team selections made by our erudite manager Mr. Freedman. Chris Eagles seems to have played his last game for the club although he refused the opportunity to go on loan. This sounds remarkably like the situation with Tyrone Mears (who?) who has not figured for the club in a month of Sundays and similarly refused the opportunity to go on loan. Both players were brought to the club by our former manager Mr. Coyle - who despite being the best manager he has ever been, is without employment at this time. In the words of a fellow fan, "Thanks, Owen".
There are encouraging signs coming from our younger teams. Our U18's have been doing good things and recording victories over teams from the Premiership - notably doing the double over Manchester United. The Reserves have a number of players who were promoted from the U18's of last year and some names to look out for in the hopefully near future, are Georg Iliev, Jamie Thomas, Chris Lester, Oskar Threlkeld and Zach Clough. These players along with the likes of Joe Riley, Hayden White & Cian Bolger can potentially form the basis of a good young team that may not set the Premiership alight in two years time, but will certainly help the club to have players who are committed to the cause and do not cost the proverbial arm and a leg.
There are, however, a number of things happening in the world around us that puts the fortunes of Bolton Wanderers into perspective - commercial planes going missing or crashing, wars, famine, hardships of every imaginable type. Us paying or armchair fans look forward to seeing our team turning out and putting in performances that reduce the stresses of our every day lives. While one would expect professional footballers to produce the type of play that their handsome salaries should prompt of them, I get the feeling that their own sense of well-being insulates them to an extent from the pressures of life faced by you and I. When a job is just a job, you don't lose a lot of sleep over how well it is done and how much better it could have been done.
This summer promises to be one of change. A number of players are out of contract and some are playing out of their skins in the hope of a new contract (I'm looking at you, Zat!) while others seem intent on bleeding the club of every last penny they can. A number of promising young players were sent on loan and should be returning with their sights firmly set on taking the place of some of these players that are expected to leave. Many fans, myself included, hope we can agree a deal with Middlesbrough for Lukas Jutkiewicz. It is remarkable how well he has fitted in since coming on loan and the player has expressed a desire to stay. With the returning players, out of contract players and those who are knocking on the door from the younger teams, Mr. Freedman has a lot of work to do to if he is to move the club forward in his second full season. It will not be easy, but it will be interesting.
Author: Keegan
There have been some interesting team selections made by our erudite manager Mr. Freedman. Chris Eagles seems to have played his last game for the club although he refused the opportunity to go on loan. This sounds remarkably like the situation with Tyrone Mears (who?) who has not figured for the club in a month of Sundays and similarly refused the opportunity to go on loan. Both players were brought to the club by our former manager Mr. Coyle - who despite being the best manager he has ever been, is without employment at this time. In the words of a fellow fan, "Thanks, Owen".
There are encouraging signs coming from our younger teams. Our U18's have been doing good things and recording victories over teams from the Premiership - notably doing the double over Manchester United. The Reserves have a number of players who were promoted from the U18's of last year and some names to look out for in the hopefully near future, are Georg Iliev, Jamie Thomas, Chris Lester, Oskar Threlkeld and Zach Clough. These players along with the likes of Joe Riley, Hayden White & Cian Bolger can potentially form the basis of a good young team that may not set the Premiership alight in two years time, but will certainly help the club to have players who are committed to the cause and do not cost the proverbial arm and a leg.
There are, however, a number of things happening in the world around us that puts the fortunes of Bolton Wanderers into perspective - commercial planes going missing or crashing, wars, famine, hardships of every imaginable type. Us paying or armchair fans look forward to seeing our team turning out and putting in performances that reduce the stresses of our every day lives. While one would expect professional footballers to produce the type of play that their handsome salaries should prompt of them, I get the feeling that their own sense of well-being insulates them to an extent from the pressures of life faced by you and I. When a job is just a job, you don't lose a lot of sleep over how well it is done and how much better it could have been done.
This summer promises to be one of change. A number of players are out of contract and some are playing out of their skins in the hope of a new contract (I'm looking at you, Zat!) while others seem intent on bleeding the club of every last penny they can. A number of promising young players were sent on loan and should be returning with their sights firmly set on taking the place of some of these players that are expected to leave. Many fans, myself included, hope we can agree a deal with Middlesbrough for Lukas Jutkiewicz. It is remarkable how well he has fitted in since coming on loan and the player has expressed a desire to stay. With the returning players, out of contract players and those who are knocking on the door from the younger teams, Mr. Freedman has a lot of work to do to if he is to move the club forward in his second full season. It will not be easy, but it will be interesting.
Author: Keegan
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