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Jimmy Phillips signs off as manager of Wanderers today leaving behind a legacy he believes will give the club a headstart in League One.
This afternoon’s game at Fulham will be Phillips’ ninth and final game in charge alongside Peter Reid in the dugout before he returns to his role with the academy.
Ken Anderson and Dean Holdsworth are looking outside the Macron for a successor and hope to establish a clearer picture of who they wish to appoint after this weekend.
Phillips feels he has made progress with the group of players he inherited but was forced to wait until last weekend’s victory over Hull City to have tangible evidence to prove it.
However, the young core of home-grown players he has pushed forward in the last six weeks is where the interim boss believes his best work has been done.
“It has been an interesting challenge,” he told The Bolton News. “I wouldn’t say I have enjoyed everything because I definitely don’t like getting beat, but there have been elements of the job I have been pleased with.
“I have been delighted we’ve managed to give some players a debut and some of them have done themselves some good.
“It’s the way we have to move forward. As an academy manager I’ve known there were talented players coming through the system before, it’s just been getting them an opportunity.
“The situation we’ve been in has given them exactly that.
“It has all been very challenging but in the end it’s all worthwhile because we’ve got a group of players who will be the future of the club.”
Phillips oversaw the graduation of Zach Clough, Josh Vela, Rob Holding and Co in his academy role but once Wanderers’ fate was sealed in the Championship it has enabled him to fully explore some of the younger options in the squad.
Oscar Threlkeld was brought back from a loan spell at Plymouth, Niall Maher, Tom Walker and Alex Finney got another taste of senior football while George Newell, Alex Samizadeh and Tyler Garratt were handed debuts.
Jamie Thomas and Harry Campbell have also been given experience on the bench and pre-match talk at the Macron yesterday suggested a few new names could be on the team-sheet at Craven Cottage today.
Testing out the available options was one of the remits given to Phillips and Reid when they were asked to take temporary charge with the club’s Championship future already hanging by a thread. And though he was unable to prevent the inevitable relegation, Phillips feels he has added something to the confidence-sapped squad he inherited from Neil Lennon.
“I think you could see in the final few minutes against Hull City when they were putting a lot of balls into the penalty box, there was a hunger to protect the lead,” he said. “I think the players showed a mental strength there which perhaps hasn’t been the case at other times in the season.
“No-one can hide from the fact it has been a desperately disappointing time.
“We have had in one season what some clubs might not have in 10 years. But that has always been Bolton Wanderers.
“That has always been the nature of the club. Going back to my playing days it was always promotion or relegation and it was the same in the nineties when I came back to the club.
“But you would rather have a season where you have something to play for. Hopefully next season will be more positive.”
Wanderers announced on Thursday they are about to undertake a review of the whole football operation, which will most likely end in staff cuts. That has added an extra element of uncertainty around the club with the managerial situation still unresolved.
Phillips says planning has already begun for next season – with the indication being a shorter, six-week break for the players.
But he is keen to see some stability restored and believes that will only occur once a manager and his coaching staff are put in place.
“People are working away behind the scenes on pre-season games and the sports science people have sorted out the off-season and pre-season sessions they need to achieve to get the players as fit as possible,” he explained.
“But it’s up to the new manager to come in and say which players, formations and tactics need to be brought in.
“There is a lot of work to be done in the summer and the quicker we get it sorted, the better.”
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This afternoon’s game at Fulham will be Phillips’ ninth and final game in charge alongside Peter Reid in the dugout before he returns to his role with the academy.
Ken Anderson and Dean Holdsworth are looking outside the Macron for a successor and hope to establish a clearer picture of who they wish to appoint after this weekend.
Phillips feels he has made progress with the group of players he inherited but was forced to wait until last weekend’s victory over Hull City to have tangible evidence to prove it.
However, the young core of home-grown players he has pushed forward in the last six weeks is where the interim boss believes his best work has been done.
“It has been an interesting challenge,” he told The Bolton News. “I wouldn’t say I have enjoyed everything because I definitely don’t like getting beat, but there have been elements of the job I have been pleased with.
“I have been delighted we’ve managed to give some players a debut and some of them have done themselves some good.
“It’s the way we have to move forward. As an academy manager I’ve known there were talented players coming through the system before, it’s just been getting them an opportunity.
“The situation we’ve been in has given them exactly that.
“It has all been very challenging but in the end it’s all worthwhile because we’ve got a group of players who will be the future of the club.”
Phillips oversaw the graduation of Zach Clough, Josh Vela, Rob Holding and Co in his academy role but once Wanderers’ fate was sealed in the Championship it has enabled him to fully explore some of the younger options in the squad.
Oscar Threlkeld was brought back from a loan spell at Plymouth, Niall Maher, Tom Walker and Alex Finney got another taste of senior football while George Newell, Alex Samizadeh and Tyler Garratt were handed debuts.
Jamie Thomas and Harry Campbell have also been given experience on the bench and pre-match talk at the Macron yesterday suggested a few new names could be on the team-sheet at Craven Cottage today.
Testing out the available options was one of the remits given to Phillips and Reid when they were asked to take temporary charge with the club’s Championship future already hanging by a thread. And though he was unable to prevent the inevitable relegation, Phillips feels he has added something to the confidence-sapped squad he inherited from Neil Lennon.
“I think you could see in the final few minutes against Hull City when they were putting a lot of balls into the penalty box, there was a hunger to protect the lead,” he said. “I think the players showed a mental strength there which perhaps hasn’t been the case at other times in the season.
“No-one can hide from the fact it has been a desperately disappointing time.
“We have had in one season what some clubs might not have in 10 years. But that has always been Bolton Wanderers.
“That has always been the nature of the club. Going back to my playing days it was always promotion or relegation and it was the same in the nineties when I came back to the club.
“But you would rather have a season where you have something to play for. Hopefully next season will be more positive.”
Wanderers announced on Thursday they are about to undertake a review of the whole football operation, which will most likely end in staff cuts. That has added an extra element of uncertainty around the club with the managerial situation still unresolved.
Phillips says planning has already begun for next season – with the indication being a shorter, six-week break for the players.
But he is keen to see some stability restored and believes that will only occur once a manager and his coaching staff are put in place.
“People are working away behind the scenes on pre-season games and the sports science people have sorted out the off-season and pre-season sessions they need to achieve to get the players as fit as possible,” he explained.
“But it’s up to the new manager to come in and say which players, formations and tactics need to be brought in.
“There is a lot of work to be done in the summer and the quicker we get it sorted, the better.”
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