Home
Having a full pre-season could give Phil Parkinson an important advantage over his managerial predecessors at Wanderers.
That's the view of John McGinlay who believes the club’s first summer appointment in 21 years should boost the new manager’s chances of success because he will get more time to work with his squad before the competitive games begin.
Parkinson has four weeks of solid training before the season opener against Sheffield United and the legendary Scot believes it will work in his favour compared to mid-season arrivals such as Neil Lennon, Dougie Freedman or Owen Coyle.
“You always get some kind of upturn in form or performances under a new manager but this time it’s different,” he told The Bolton News.
“When managers came to the club recently they had to affect results next week, or in a couple of days.
“They had to change systems or personnel on the hop, or wait for the next pre-season. Phil Parkinson has got a full summer to prepare things the way he wants them, work on shape and organisation.
“He has got a chance to put some foundations in before he starts building and that should stand him in better stead than some of the others.”
Roy McFarland was the last summer appointment for Wanderers in 1995, although Sammy Lee only had a few games to see out at the end of the season when he succeeded Sam Allardyce in April, 2007.
Whites fans will hope Parkinson proves much more successful than both those two managers, and McGinlay has high hopes for a man he once played alongside at Bury.
“He was very similar as a player to how he seems as a manager,” he said. “He was hard-working, conscientious, always trained well, smart and on time.
“He was a good lad in his playing days and that seems to have translated to being a manager as well.
“I think we are going to get what we have wanted for a long time, and that’s a side that works very, very hard.
“The one thing you can always say about Phil Parkinson’s sides is that they never lack in effort.
“I know there are a lot of teams like that at this level – ones who can run all day – but that’s where you need the extra bit of quality at the top of the park, it will make the difference.”
McGinlay has been impressed with the first two arrivals this summer, Mark Beevers and Chris Taylor, and has backed Parkinson to continue recruiting players who will improve the overall workrate of the team.
“Good things happen to people who work hard and that has to be the minimum this season,” he said. “You know results won’t always go your way but if you sign players who buy into what you are asking, that’s when you can build.
“Phil Parkinson has added some good players there who know the level and who are willing to put in the effort.
“Beevers is a big, strapping centre half, very strong, and I think we were fortunate to be at the front of the queue for him.
“I like the lad Taylor, he did well at Blackburn, plays out wide but likes to cut inside. They are two very good signings for this level.”
Parkinson spent five years gradually improving a Bradford City side which went on some memorable cup runs and reached the League One play-offs last season.
McGinlay does not expect the Whites boss to target “superstars” in his effort to do the same at Bolton but feels he may be able to draw on some extra quality in the squad he inherited.
“If you look at Bradford they were hard to beat, no-one liked playing them at home, and they were a physical team,” he said.
“I think he is looking at players who will fit that same system, maybe a 4-4-2.
“At times they will get the ball down and play but I think the team will be direct and get a lot of crosses into the box.
“At Bradford he got places with a lot of hard work, and his side will be the same here. But I think he’s got a couple of players in there like Zach Clough who – if he can get the best out of them – can give him a little more. They are better than anything he can buy in too.”
Source
That's the view of John McGinlay who believes the club’s first summer appointment in 21 years should boost the new manager’s chances of success because he will get more time to work with his squad before the competitive games begin.
Parkinson has four weeks of solid training before the season opener against Sheffield United and the legendary Scot believes it will work in his favour compared to mid-season arrivals such as Neil Lennon, Dougie Freedman or Owen Coyle.
“You always get some kind of upturn in form or performances under a new manager but this time it’s different,” he told The Bolton News.
“When managers came to the club recently they had to affect results next week, or in a couple of days.
“They had to change systems or personnel on the hop, or wait for the next pre-season. Phil Parkinson has got a full summer to prepare things the way he wants them, work on shape and organisation.
“He has got a chance to put some foundations in before he starts building and that should stand him in better stead than some of the others.”
Roy McFarland was the last summer appointment for Wanderers in 1995, although Sammy Lee only had a few games to see out at the end of the season when he succeeded Sam Allardyce in April, 2007.
Whites fans will hope Parkinson proves much more successful than both those two managers, and McGinlay has high hopes for a man he once played alongside at Bury.
“He was very similar as a player to how he seems as a manager,” he said. “He was hard-working, conscientious, always trained well, smart and on time.
“He was a good lad in his playing days and that seems to have translated to being a manager as well.
“I think we are going to get what we have wanted for a long time, and that’s a side that works very, very hard.
“The one thing you can always say about Phil Parkinson’s sides is that they never lack in effort.
“I know there are a lot of teams like that at this level – ones who can run all day – but that’s where you need the extra bit of quality at the top of the park, it will make the difference.”
McGinlay has been impressed with the first two arrivals this summer, Mark Beevers and Chris Taylor, and has backed Parkinson to continue recruiting players who will improve the overall workrate of the team.
“Good things happen to people who work hard and that has to be the minimum this season,” he said. “You know results won’t always go your way but if you sign players who buy into what you are asking, that’s when you can build.
“Phil Parkinson has added some good players there who know the level and who are willing to put in the effort.
“Beevers is a big, strapping centre half, very strong, and I think we were fortunate to be at the front of the queue for him.
“I like the lad Taylor, he did well at Blackburn, plays out wide but likes to cut inside. They are two very good signings for this level.”
Parkinson spent five years gradually improving a Bradford City side which went on some memorable cup runs and reached the League One play-offs last season.
McGinlay does not expect the Whites boss to target “superstars” in his effort to do the same at Bolton but feels he may be able to draw on some extra quality in the squad he inherited.
“If you look at Bradford they were hard to beat, no-one liked playing them at home, and they were a physical team,” he said.
“I think he is looking at players who will fit that same system, maybe a 4-4-2.
“At times they will get the ball down and play but I think the team will be direct and get a lot of crosses into the box.
“At Bradford he got places with a lot of hard work, and his side will be the same here. But I think he’s got a couple of players in there like Zach Clough who – if he can get the best out of them – can give him a little more. They are better than anything he can buy in too.”
Source