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Jimmy Phillips reckons Oscar Threlkeld has strengthened his chances of a new contract at Wanderers.
The young defender returned to the starting line-up for the first time in nearly a year on Tuesday night as the Whites fought out a dull 0-0 draw with Charlton Athletic.
Threlkeld’s performance at right-back was one of the few highlights on the night and with his contract up for renewal this summer, interim boss Phillips admits he has given the club’s ownership some food for thought.
“I think he did himself the power of good,” he told The Bolton News. “I thought he was the most consistent performer on the evening.
“He was unlucky that the one real bit of football we had in the game – his cross – evaded Darren Pratley at the far post.
“But Oscar has been out at Plymouth on loan and come back looking more mature. It is good to see.”
Threlkeld played the majority of his football in League Two as a holding midfielder but came back into the side on the right side of defence after Phillips decided to drop out-of-form left-back Dean Moxey.
Having played a handful of games under Dougie Freedman and Neil Lennon, the 22-year-old became an established first teamer over the course of seven months at Home Park and, according to Pilgrims boss Derek Adams, went back to Bolton a more complete player.
“Oscar changed as a player and a person since he came here,” he said.
“He was a young boy when he came and he went out a man.
“His playing style has changed, he matured as a person – on and off the pitch, and I think that coming on loan really benefited him.”
Overall, Threlkeld made 19 starts and nine substitute appearances in League Two, scoring once against Exeter City in November. He was also nominated for the division’s player of the month for February.
While his performance, and that of fellow academy full-back Niall Maher, proved positive aspects of the goalless draw against Charlton for Phillips, he concedes the game had few other redeeming qualities.
“It was all really nondescript, which is bitterly disappointing,” he said.
Phillips and Peter Reid remain in charge of the team heading for Cardiff City this Saturday – the first of three dead rubbers to play before of the end of the season.
Only Hull City, visitors to the Macron on April 30, have anything left to play for but the interim boss says he will continue to keep the hot-seat warm for whoever intends to sit in it.
“There’s no indication of who the manager might be at the moment, I have heard nothing. We’ll be preparing the players for Cardiff until someone tells me differently,” he said.
“Looking ahead into the future, if you need to rebuild any squad of players it will take time, and it will here.
“The key will be which players want to stay and which move on. After that it’s about how much money might be available. It’s certainly a sizeable task.
“I was looking forward to the game (on Tuesday) and thinking three points were there for the taking. We didn’t do it and so we move on to the Cardiff game.
“It has been a difficult season for everyone and it isn’t getting any easier.”
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The young defender returned to the starting line-up for the first time in nearly a year on Tuesday night as the Whites fought out a dull 0-0 draw with Charlton Athletic.
Threlkeld’s performance at right-back was one of the few highlights on the night and with his contract up for renewal this summer, interim boss Phillips admits he has given the club’s ownership some food for thought.
“I think he did himself the power of good,” he told The Bolton News. “I thought he was the most consistent performer on the evening.
“He was unlucky that the one real bit of football we had in the game – his cross – evaded Darren Pratley at the far post.
“But Oscar has been out at Plymouth on loan and come back looking more mature. It is good to see.”
Threlkeld played the majority of his football in League Two as a holding midfielder but came back into the side on the right side of defence after Phillips decided to drop out-of-form left-back Dean Moxey.
Having played a handful of games under Dougie Freedman and Neil Lennon, the 22-year-old became an established first teamer over the course of seven months at Home Park and, according to Pilgrims boss Derek Adams, went back to Bolton a more complete player.
“Oscar changed as a player and a person since he came here,” he said.
“He was a young boy when he came and he went out a man.
“His playing style has changed, he matured as a person – on and off the pitch, and I think that coming on loan really benefited him.”
Overall, Threlkeld made 19 starts and nine substitute appearances in League Two, scoring once against Exeter City in November. He was also nominated for the division’s player of the month for February.
While his performance, and that of fellow academy full-back Niall Maher, proved positive aspects of the goalless draw against Charlton for Phillips, he concedes the game had few other redeeming qualities.
“It was all really nondescript, which is bitterly disappointing,” he said.
Phillips and Peter Reid remain in charge of the team heading for Cardiff City this Saturday – the first of three dead rubbers to play before of the end of the season.
Only Hull City, visitors to the Macron on April 30, have anything left to play for but the interim boss says he will continue to keep the hot-seat warm for whoever intends to sit in it.
“There’s no indication of who the manager might be at the moment, I have heard nothing. We’ll be preparing the players for Cardiff until someone tells me differently,” he said.
“Looking ahead into the future, if you need to rebuild any squad of players it will take time, and it will here.
“The key will be which players want to stay and which move on. After that it’s about how much money might be available. It’s certainly a sizeable task.
“I was looking forward to the game (on Tuesday) and thinking three points were there for the taking. We didn’t do it and so we move on to the Cardiff game.
“It has been a difficult season for everyone and it isn’t getting any easier.”
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