Bolton 'close' to agreeing new contract with manager Phil Parkinson

Wanderers are in talks with Phil Parkinson about an extended contract at the Macron Stadium.

The Whites boss penned a two-year deal when he arrived last summer from Bradford City and led the club to promotion against the odds from League One in his first campaign.

Chairman Ken Anderson has confirmed he is in negotiation with Parkinson’s representatives, with a conclusion thought to be “very close”.

“We are in discussion with Phil about a new contract,” he told The Bolton News. “We have made an offer and am due to meet with his agent but we’re very hopeful that something will be sorted soon.”

News of the club’s offer will settle the nerves for some supporters, who feared Parkinson could be tempted elsewhere after his success with Wanderers.

Anderson believes his manager can now establish the club back in the second tier and build for the future.

“If I didn’t believe that, I’d certainly not be talking to him about a longer deal,” he said. “I think you only have to listen to the players to see how they relate to Phil and his staff, and that is very satisfying as a chairman.

“I certainly have confidence in him.”

Anderson appointed Parkinson last summer after a long wait but sees the decision as one of the best of his chairmanship to date.

“It probably is,” he said. “We knew we wanted Phil but it didn’t help when Bradford went into the play-offs. We interviewed, we spoke to some outstanding candidates – which was well documented and I think says a lot about the club. But we knew Phil was the right fit, and so it proved.”

Meanwhile, yesterday completed the signing of Bristol City striker Aaron Wilbraham on a one-year deal.

The 37-year-old has joined for an undisclosed fee – although The Bolton News understands that no money was exchanged with the Robins.

Wilbraham has a wealth of experience and has scored goals in all four divisions of the Football League.

He had been penned in for a player-coach role in Lee Johnson’s staff at Ashton Gate but opted to move back to his native North West, where he began his career at Stockport County.

Wanderers become Wilbraham’s 10th professional club and he goes straight into the squad to face Leeds United on Sunday.

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I think that last season wasn't really representative of the standards required given that Parky got us promoted with a squad of predominantly ex Premiership and Championship players. This season he's had to cut his cloth accordingly and where we finish will be more dependent on the manager's ability to get them playing as a team and on his tactics.
There is a temptation to throw money at him as a result of getting back to the Championship but with that squad there's nothing to prove that Lennon might not have done the same or better. I therefore hope that the deal he gets is to some extent based on performance/results.

We all know contracts mean fuck all anyway.  If we want to get rid of him we can.  Just means a bit more of a payoff which wont be much anyway

wanderlust wrote:I think that last season wasn't really representative of the standards required given that Parky got us promoted with a squad of predominantly ex Premiership and Championship players. This season he's had to cut his cloth accordingly and where we finish will be more dependent on the manager's ability to get them playing as a team and on his tactics.
There is a temptation to throw money at him as a result of getting back to the Championship but with that squad there's nothing to prove that Lennon might not have done the same or better. I therefore hope that the deal he gets is to some extent based on performance/results.

Anything above bottom three will be a success IMO.  Even this season will not be fair when you consider he doesn't have a pot to piss in. So we will not know how well he could do given even a small investment to spend.  Having said that I don't want to see negative football week after week in the hope of a point....rather go down swinging.......that's just me though.  Starting with Leeds on Sunday...let's get after them from the off.