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Phil Parkinson has sent a plea to Wanderers fans ahead of the new season: “Please give everyone a chance!”
Keen to see his squad given a clean slate on and off the pitch, the new Whites boss has appealed to fans not to target players who were relegated last season from the Championship.
Parkinson confirmed Darren Pratley has held talks with QPR but that the club captain looks like he will remain at the Macron.
The midfielder is one of a handful of Wanderers players who struggled for confidence in the last 12 months – but his manager is asking for backing from the terraces as they attempt to right some of last season’s wrongs.
“There are a lot of players whose reputation was damaged last year,” he told The Bolton News on tour in Sweden. “It’s up to me and the individual players to rebuild that relationship with the supporters.
“What I’d say to the fans is that if there’s someone who hasn’t been popular last year – give them a chance.
“The only way we’re going to be successful is if everyone pulls together, including supporters.
“If you document what happened last year, all those mitigating factors along the way, I think people do deserve a fresh chance. Anyone who rolls up their sleeves and is prepared to work hard and wear the shirt with pride will always get a chance with me and the rest of the staff.”
As revealed in The Bolton News on Monday night, Pratley spoke with QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink about a potential move to Loftus Road.
Those talks have not yet developed any further and the 31-year-old has now flown out to the training camp in Sweden.
Parkinson has been impressed with his captain’s attitude since linking up with the squad and has no longer-term concerns over his form.
“First of all – he didn’t initiate it, let’s make that clear,” he said.
“He went down there for talks but he rang me up and said they had not come to anything and flew out here a day late.
“The only thing Darren was frustrated with was that he missed a day’s training, and so was I, really. We are working with a new group.
“He hasn’t come to me looking for a move. There was an opportunity to speak with them and he went down there with an open mind and it hasn’t progressed since then.
“Darren, within the group of players here, has trained really well. His attitude has been first class.”
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Keen to see his squad given a clean slate on and off the pitch, the new Whites boss has appealed to fans not to target players who were relegated last season from the Championship.
Parkinson confirmed Darren Pratley has held talks with QPR but that the club captain looks like he will remain at the Macron.
The midfielder is one of a handful of Wanderers players who struggled for confidence in the last 12 months – but his manager is asking for backing from the terraces as they attempt to right some of last season’s wrongs.
“There are a lot of players whose reputation was damaged last year,” he told The Bolton News on tour in Sweden. “It’s up to me and the individual players to rebuild that relationship with the supporters.
“What I’d say to the fans is that if there’s someone who hasn’t been popular last year – give them a chance.
“The only way we’re going to be successful is if everyone pulls together, including supporters.
“If you document what happened last year, all those mitigating factors along the way, I think people do deserve a fresh chance. Anyone who rolls up their sleeves and is prepared to work hard and wear the shirt with pride will always get a chance with me and the rest of the staff.”
As revealed in The Bolton News on Monday night, Pratley spoke with QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink about a potential move to Loftus Road.
Those talks have not yet developed any further and the 31-year-old has now flown out to the training camp in Sweden.
Parkinson has been impressed with his captain’s attitude since linking up with the squad and has no longer-term concerns over his form.
“First of all – he didn’t initiate it, let’s make that clear,” he said.
“He went down there for talks but he rang me up and said they had not come to anything and flew out here a day late.
“The only thing Darren was frustrated with was that he missed a day’s training, and so was I, really. We are working with a new group.
“He hasn’t come to me looking for a move. There was an opportunity to speak with them and he went down there with an open mind and it hasn’t progressed since then.
“Darren, within the group of players here, has trained really well. His attitude has been first class.”
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