The last man to experience the same heartbreak at Wembley has supported IAN Evatt to uncover the truth behind Wanderers’ play-off final disappointment this summer.
Colin Todd, a former Bolton manager who seen his team lose to Watford in the championship game 25 years ago, is aware of the struggles the current manager is facing.
Although Todd thinks Evatt will already be creating a strategy to make changes in the upcoming months to ensure that next season concludes in promotion to the Championship, Evatt has been under intense criticism following the team’s 2-0 loss to Oxford United.
“I’m sure the outcome will have affected him, but when you are in his position you have to move on, put it behind you, and plan for what’s ahead,” he said in an interview with The Bolton News.
When you come to a final, fans have very high expectations, and all you can hope for is to cross the finish line in ninety minutes, but it wasn’t to be.
Ian will now ask where he can make improvements while seated with his team and the chairman. And I believe the main problem is that.
“What financial resources does he have, which is a question that managers ask all the time? Moreover, who of his players can he trust to perform well in the future? It’s possible that some players are there because they don’t want to take on the task, and only he will know who is willing to continue on. You must possess mental toughness.
“I don’t believe the manager is suffering from a psychological hangover. It was a solid season overall, and I believe he will have a strong resolve.
“I believe it’s quite amazing where the club has come from, but disappointment is one thing. You must commend Ian for his work; I won’t be critical; my only disappointment is that they weren’t able to win that championship.
Having watched Wanderers brutally relegated with 40 points a season before, Todd experienced the terrible taste of failure at Wembley in 1999 while attempting to lead the team back into the Premier League.
He still recalls the hurt caused when a talented team that included players like Eidur Gudjohnsen, Mark Fish, Claus Jensen, and Per Frandsen didn’t perform well enough on the day.
“The occasion can get to some, regardless of the reason,” he remarked. “We may have scored a goal against Watford for the first twenty minutes, but when we fell behind, we were unable to create the vital opening, and we were quite upset as we left the field.
“At this time, there will be some significant queries. Is it because some of them lack the necessary skills or something else? Why have they failed to rise to the great occasion?
“I watched them at Derby, where they had a lot of possession but only really produced one significant, obvious opportunity—a header, which they failed to convert. It was all a little hit or miss after that.
As a manager, there are moments when you glance around your dressing room and know exactly what to expect from him and from him, but there may also be uncertainty about the other.
Ian is going to do that right now. But I’m confident he’ll return stronger.
