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PHIL Parkinson is aiming to end the culture of entitlement at Wanderers this summer, once and for all.
Having successfully brought the club and its fans together with promotion, the manager’s next challenge is to create a hungry culture within his squad.
Even though the Whites have not played Premier League football in five years, the contracts offered post-relegation did make the Macron a lucrative stop-off point for many a player.
Few fans would argue, at least until last season, Wanderers have not always had their money’s worth.
Only this summer has the wage budget been brought back under control – meaning future losses will theoretically be easier to stomach than they have in previous years.
But while Ken Anderson and Paul Aldridge continue to rationalise off the pitch, Parkinson is looking to maximise a playing budget which will be among the lowest in the Championship next season.
Echoing Sam Allardyce’s early days at Bolton, the Whites boss is not frightened of building his team around experienced professionals who have fallen out of favour elsewhere – in fact, he seems to be making a habit of it.
Last season he brought Filipe Morais into the fold after his release at Bradford City with little fanfare but transformed the experienced winger into the division’s most effective wing-back.
Adam Le Fondre may be adored at the Macron, but his loan spell in League One was a bright spot in what was otherwise a miserable 18 months of his career.
Likewise, David Wheater, Dorian Dervite and Gary Madine are out to prove their last stint in the second tier – which ended in the most depressing relegation imaginable – was just a temporary blip. All three players have re-signed this summer on incentivised contracts, where a lower basic pay will be topped up depending on appearances and success.
Wanderers’ financial resources may not be as vast as they once were but Parkinson and the club’s ownership are out to make sure every penny counts.
“We’ve got a lot of players who have got a point to prove in the Championship and that is key in the profile of the players we’re looking to bring into the club,” he said.
“They are the ones who have got the hunger to show everybody they can play at this level and want to work with us to continue progressing the club.
“We have got to be realistic – we are not going to compete with clubs like Aston Villa or Derby for wages or the money we have to spend on players.
“We need to get that profile right of players who want to be at the club for the right reason, not just here to pick up a pay cheque.
“They are here because they want to progress their own career – and that doesn’t necessarily mean we are only signing players in their early twenties, they could be players like Alfie, for instance, who is 30 but has a real determination about him to show he’s ready to go back on to the Championship stage.”
Parkinson placed a heavy emphasis on preparation last season, ensuring his team was best-prepared for every opponent in League One.
Although the former Bradford boss was well-versed with life in the third tier, most of his squad needed to do their homework.
Stepping back into the Championship is less of a journey into the unknown for Wanderers than it was 12 months ago – but the manager is determined to stick to the blueprint which worked so well for him last season.
“We are going to have to work exceptionally hard in all departments, and not just on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm,” he said.
“We need to work hard on the recruitment now and the detail and preparation of the pre-season, everything has got to go up a level – and that’s what we’re aiming to do.”
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/15340915.Parkinson__Players_won__39_t_be_at_Wanderers_to___39_pick_up_a_pay_cheque__39_/?ref=mrb&lp=3
Having successfully brought the club and its fans together with promotion, the manager’s next challenge is to create a hungry culture within his squad.
Even though the Whites have not played Premier League football in five years, the contracts offered post-relegation did make the Macron a lucrative stop-off point for many a player.
Few fans would argue, at least until last season, Wanderers have not always had their money’s worth.
Only this summer has the wage budget been brought back under control – meaning future losses will theoretically be easier to stomach than they have in previous years.
But while Ken Anderson and Paul Aldridge continue to rationalise off the pitch, Parkinson is looking to maximise a playing budget which will be among the lowest in the Championship next season.
Echoing Sam Allardyce’s early days at Bolton, the Whites boss is not frightened of building his team around experienced professionals who have fallen out of favour elsewhere – in fact, he seems to be making a habit of it.
Last season he brought Filipe Morais into the fold after his release at Bradford City with little fanfare but transformed the experienced winger into the division’s most effective wing-back.
Adam Le Fondre may be adored at the Macron, but his loan spell in League One was a bright spot in what was otherwise a miserable 18 months of his career.
Likewise, David Wheater, Dorian Dervite and Gary Madine are out to prove their last stint in the second tier – which ended in the most depressing relegation imaginable – was just a temporary blip. All three players have re-signed this summer on incentivised contracts, where a lower basic pay will be topped up depending on appearances and success.
Wanderers’ financial resources may not be as vast as they once were but Parkinson and the club’s ownership are out to make sure every penny counts.
“We’ve got a lot of players who have got a point to prove in the Championship and that is key in the profile of the players we’re looking to bring into the club,” he said.
“They are the ones who have got the hunger to show everybody they can play at this level and want to work with us to continue progressing the club.
“We have got to be realistic – we are not going to compete with clubs like Aston Villa or Derby for wages or the money we have to spend on players.
“We need to get that profile right of players who want to be at the club for the right reason, not just here to pick up a pay cheque.
“They are here because they want to progress their own career – and that doesn’t necessarily mean we are only signing players in their early twenties, they could be players like Alfie, for instance, who is 30 but has a real determination about him to show he’s ready to go back on to the Championship stage.”
Parkinson placed a heavy emphasis on preparation last season, ensuring his team was best-prepared for every opponent in League One.
Although the former Bradford boss was well-versed with life in the third tier, most of his squad needed to do their homework.
Stepping back into the Championship is less of a journey into the unknown for Wanderers than it was 12 months ago – but the manager is determined to stick to the blueprint which worked so well for him last season.
“We are going to have to work exceptionally hard in all departments, and not just on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm,” he said.
“We need to work hard on the recruitment now and the detail and preparation of the pre-season, everything has got to go up a level – and that’s what we’re aiming to do.”
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/15340915.Parkinson__Players_won__39_t_be_at_Wanderers_to___39_pick_up_a_pay_cheque__39_/?ref=mrb&lp=3