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Phil Parkinson insists the numbers game prevented him from pinching Josh Cullen off the toes of his former club Bradford City.
Though sorely tempted to work again with the West Ham midfielder, who stood out for him at Valley Parade in the second half of last season, he eventually decided against a loan bid.
Wanderers are still working against transfer restrictions imposed by the Football League, which has made progress in the market fairly slow this summer.
The squad is also well-stocked with central midfielders, though the loss of skipper Darren Pratley to a broken leg on Saturday has thinned out numbers a little.
Bradford chairman Edin Rahic proclaimed yesterday the Bantams had beaten Bolton to the 20-year-old’s signature but Parkinson played down his interest.
“Josh is a player I signed last year and he’s a very, very good player but we’ve got a lot of midfield players,” he told The Bolton News.
“Unfortunately for us we’ve got a restriction on numbers so to bring in another at this stage would detract from other areas.
“That happens quite a lot in football where a good player becomes available but you already have enough in that position.
“Edin’s probably point-scoring a bit there.”
New Bradford chairman Rahic had been singing Cullen’s signature from the rooftops yesterday morning.
“We fought very hard to get Josh,” he told our sister paper the Telegraph and Argus. “I think Bolton were desperate to sign him as well as two or three Championship clubs.
“We were informed we had no chance at one stage. There was interest from the Championship and we knew it would also be difficult with his links to Phil and to Tim Breacker (Wanderers’ chief scout).”
The Bolton News understands Parkinson will target a left-back as competition for Dean Moxey as his next likely move to bolster his squad before adding to his attacking options later in the window.
Wanderers have yet to turn to the loan market but have earmarked two possible Premier League deals which are still in the pipeline.
Before all that, Parkinson has to prepare his side for an EFL Cup first round trip to Lancashire rivals Blackpool.
Three years ago the Whites boss stunned the football world by beating Premier League Wigan Athletic, Arsenal and Aston Villa en route to Wembley as a League Two side.
A heavy defeat against Swansea City in the final took some of the gloss off the occasion and left Parkinson considering his promotions as manager with Bradford and Colchester United as the best moments of his career to date.
“I got asked all the way up to Wembley whether it would eclipse anything I’d done in my career but I think when you step away from it, promotions are more cherished as a manager than cup runs,” he said.
“I think cup competitions can be good and the memories we made at Bradford will live with the fans for a very long time, it can build confidence and much-needed revenue as well.
“That’s why we’ll pick a team that can win at Blackpool, provided we make sure our application is right, and then, of course, you’ve got a bench that can come on and change the game.”
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Though sorely tempted to work again with the West Ham midfielder, who stood out for him at Valley Parade in the second half of last season, he eventually decided against a loan bid.
Wanderers are still working against transfer restrictions imposed by the Football League, which has made progress in the market fairly slow this summer.
The squad is also well-stocked with central midfielders, though the loss of skipper Darren Pratley to a broken leg on Saturday has thinned out numbers a little.
Bradford chairman Edin Rahic proclaimed yesterday the Bantams had beaten Bolton to the 20-year-old’s signature but Parkinson played down his interest.
“Josh is a player I signed last year and he’s a very, very good player but we’ve got a lot of midfield players,” he told The Bolton News.
“Unfortunately for us we’ve got a restriction on numbers so to bring in another at this stage would detract from other areas.
“That happens quite a lot in football where a good player becomes available but you already have enough in that position.
“Edin’s probably point-scoring a bit there.”
New Bradford chairman Rahic had been singing Cullen’s signature from the rooftops yesterday morning.
“We fought very hard to get Josh,” he told our sister paper the Telegraph and Argus. “I think Bolton were desperate to sign him as well as two or three Championship clubs.
“We were informed we had no chance at one stage. There was interest from the Championship and we knew it would also be difficult with his links to Phil and to Tim Breacker (Wanderers’ chief scout).”
The Bolton News understands Parkinson will target a left-back as competition for Dean Moxey as his next likely move to bolster his squad before adding to his attacking options later in the window.
Wanderers have yet to turn to the loan market but have earmarked two possible Premier League deals which are still in the pipeline.
Before all that, Parkinson has to prepare his side for an EFL Cup first round trip to Lancashire rivals Blackpool.
Three years ago the Whites boss stunned the football world by beating Premier League Wigan Athletic, Arsenal and Aston Villa en route to Wembley as a League Two side.
A heavy defeat against Swansea City in the final took some of the gloss off the occasion and left Parkinson considering his promotions as manager with Bradford and Colchester United as the best moments of his career to date.
“I got asked all the way up to Wembley whether it would eclipse anything I’d done in my career but I think when you step away from it, promotions are more cherished as a manager than cup runs,” he said.
“I think cup competitions can be good and the memories we made at Bradford will live with the fans for a very long time, it can build confidence and much-needed revenue as well.
“That’s why we’ll pick a team that can win at Blackpool, provided we make sure our application is right, and then, of course, you’ve got a bench that can come on and change the game.”
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