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Dougie Freedman does not feel any sympathy for opposite number Neil Lennon at the City Ground today – insisting he too was ‘sold a dud’ at Wanderers.
Despite laying claim to a couple of million pounds in signings during his controversial 18-month reign, the Scot was not given the full financial backing he was promised when he switched from promotion-bound Crystal Palace in October 2012.
After being interviewed for the position Freedman was promised a “marquee striker” to help fire a mid-table side towards the play-offs.
Links with the likes of Danny Ings and Jordan Rhodes proved fantastical and after Wanderers missed out by a single goal on the top six in 2013, the manager was told to start cutting costs.
“Do I feel sympathy for him? No,” shrugged Freedman, as he welcomes Wanderers to Nottingham Forest looking to extend a nine-game unbeaten run. “I had to go through that for two years myself.
“It was not what it had said on the tin, when I got there.
“When we missed out on the play-offs, finishing in seventh place on goal difference alone, things changed very quickly there.
“It was a very difficult time and, with Phil Garside not currently very well, it is a big blow for Bolton. Because he helped manage the club through difficult moments.
“I had to let everyone go; big players left for nothing.
“I cannot feel sorry for him, because I have been there and done it myself.
“The expectations that fans have, when they have witnessed Premier League football for a number of years, are very high.
“It is a very, very difficult job there. I gave it my best and it did not work out in the end.
“It is unfortunate that the club is declining. It was on the decline when I got there, we could not stop that decline and the decline is continuing now, under Neil.”
The financial situation continued to decline after Lennon replaced Freedman in October 2014 to the point that the club will now learn at the High Court on Monday whether or not they will have to go into administration.
Freedman coped with the sale of key winger Michail Antonio to West Ham in the last transfer window but admits it would be a tougher task for Lennon to lose some of his integral players.
“It is touch and go whether they will go into administration and it is difficult to keep players going when you are in that situation, when they are perhaps not getting paid and they are seeing other players leave, without being replaced,” he said.
“It was crucial for us here that, when Michail was sold, we had four players lined up.
“The next day, in training, the departure of Michail did not have the impact that it easily could have done, because there were four new additions.
“At Bolton, there is talk of Davies going and Clough going, which will be difficult for everyone there. But Neil is experienced. He is a good guy and he has done what he can.”
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Despite laying claim to a couple of million pounds in signings during his controversial 18-month reign, the Scot was not given the full financial backing he was promised when he switched from promotion-bound Crystal Palace in October 2012.
After being interviewed for the position Freedman was promised a “marquee striker” to help fire a mid-table side towards the play-offs.
Links with the likes of Danny Ings and Jordan Rhodes proved fantastical and after Wanderers missed out by a single goal on the top six in 2013, the manager was told to start cutting costs.
“Do I feel sympathy for him? No,” shrugged Freedman, as he welcomes Wanderers to Nottingham Forest looking to extend a nine-game unbeaten run. “I had to go through that for two years myself.
“It was not what it had said on the tin, when I got there.
“When we missed out on the play-offs, finishing in seventh place on goal difference alone, things changed very quickly there.
“It was a very difficult time and, with Phil Garside not currently very well, it is a big blow for Bolton. Because he helped manage the club through difficult moments.
“I had to let everyone go; big players left for nothing.
“I cannot feel sorry for him, because I have been there and done it myself.
“The expectations that fans have, when they have witnessed Premier League football for a number of years, are very high.
“It is a very, very difficult job there. I gave it my best and it did not work out in the end.
“It is unfortunate that the club is declining. It was on the decline when I got there, we could not stop that decline and the decline is continuing now, under Neil.”
The financial situation continued to decline after Lennon replaced Freedman in October 2014 to the point that the club will now learn at the High Court on Monday whether or not they will have to go into administration.
Freedman coped with the sale of key winger Michail Antonio to West Ham in the last transfer window but admits it would be a tougher task for Lennon to lose some of his integral players.
“It is touch and go whether they will go into administration and it is difficult to keep players going when you are in that situation, when they are perhaps not getting paid and they are seeing other players leave, without being replaced,” he said.
“It was crucial for us here that, when Michail was sold, we had four players lined up.
“The next day, in training, the departure of Michail did not have the impact that it easily could have done, because there were four new additions.
“At Bolton, there is talk of Davies going and Clough going, which will be difficult for everyone there. But Neil is experienced. He is a good guy and he has done what he can.”
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