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PHIL Parkinson talked through the torment of losing top scorer Gary Madine in the final hours of deadline day.
Cardiff City were successful with an offer for the striker which could eventually total £6million, a move which was confirmed at 9pm on Wednesday night.
Four previous bids from the Welshmen had been rejected by Bolton chairman Ken Anderson, who had previously stated only an “exceptional” offer would convince him to sell.
Parkinson held out hope he would be able to hold on to the target man, who had scored 10 goals this season, despite a written transfer request being handed in days before.
Madine had asked Wanderers for an improved deal to reflect his status in the squad – and when talks stalled, tried to force the issue.
But until Cardiff started to make a serious move Parkinson says he was keeping his fingers crossed.
“We were hoping it wasn’t going to happen,” he told The Bolton News.
“Tuesday evening I got a call from Paul Aldridge (Anderson’s advisor) to say a fee was close to being agreed but it spilled over and he didn’t get permission to go down there until about 11am on Wednesday morning; that’s when he set off and had a medical later on.
“To that point I’d hoped he was going to stay.”
Asked whether his squad was stronger having lost Madine, Adam Armstrong and Josh Cullen – who returned to Newcastle and West Ham respectively – but gained loanees Zach Clough, Tyler Walker, Reece Burke and Jon Flanagan, the manager added: “You’re asking a question, I think you know the answer. Probably not, when you have taken the top scorer out of the team.”
Parkinson says that despite Madine’s contractual wrangles with Wanderers, he had no cause for concern over the player’s behaviour in the days before his move.
“With Gaz his conduct was good,” he said. “It’s very difficult with a player when you have speculation – we’ve seen it with higher profile ones in the Premier League – but his attitude in training was good and on matchdays he did well.
“Last week he got a bit frustrated because he thought he was caught in the middle a bit. He did put a request in and wanted to know ‘am I going, can I get things finalised.’ “He wanted movement either way. He was fine, I have a good relationship with him and wish him all the best.”
Parkinson accepts the financial implications of selling Madine – a deal which made him the third most expensive export in Wanderers’ history behind Gary Cahill and Nicolas Anelka.
But the timing of his departure – and the lack of a replacement – has made life tougher for the Wanderers boss.
“The deal was initially in early January and we could have been in running for players then,” he said. “Unfortunately for us the Cardiff offer was nowhere near what the chairman wanted at that stage.
“It was only late in the day it came in. Ken has made a judgement call and he feels it was right for the club going forward to take it.
“Everyone knows money problems the club has had. Someone has to pay the wages each month.
“Ken knew the implications but as we always have done we will pull together, become tighter as a group and at end of the day hope it all works out.”
Ken Anderson had detailed his thoughts earlier in the day via a website column, which implied his hand had been forced in the deal by Madine’s request.
But the chairman insisted there had been no ill-feeling in the deal.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/15914485._We_were_hoping_it_wasn_t_going_to_happen____Parkinson_explains_Madine_deadline_day_sale_frustration/?ref=mr&lp=1
Cardiff City were successful with an offer for the striker which could eventually total £6million, a move which was confirmed at 9pm on Wednesday night.
Four previous bids from the Welshmen had been rejected by Bolton chairman Ken Anderson, who had previously stated only an “exceptional” offer would convince him to sell.
Parkinson held out hope he would be able to hold on to the target man, who had scored 10 goals this season, despite a written transfer request being handed in days before.
Madine had asked Wanderers for an improved deal to reflect his status in the squad – and when talks stalled, tried to force the issue.
But until Cardiff started to make a serious move Parkinson says he was keeping his fingers crossed.
“We were hoping it wasn’t going to happen,” he told The Bolton News.
“Tuesday evening I got a call from Paul Aldridge (Anderson’s advisor) to say a fee was close to being agreed but it spilled over and he didn’t get permission to go down there until about 11am on Wednesday morning; that’s when he set off and had a medical later on.
“To that point I’d hoped he was going to stay.”
Asked whether his squad was stronger having lost Madine, Adam Armstrong and Josh Cullen – who returned to Newcastle and West Ham respectively – but gained loanees Zach Clough, Tyler Walker, Reece Burke and Jon Flanagan, the manager added: “You’re asking a question, I think you know the answer. Probably not, when you have taken the top scorer out of the team.”
Parkinson says that despite Madine’s contractual wrangles with Wanderers, he had no cause for concern over the player’s behaviour in the days before his move.
“With Gaz his conduct was good,” he said. “It’s very difficult with a player when you have speculation – we’ve seen it with higher profile ones in the Premier League – but his attitude in training was good and on matchdays he did well.
“Last week he got a bit frustrated because he thought he was caught in the middle a bit. He did put a request in and wanted to know ‘am I going, can I get things finalised.’ “He wanted movement either way. He was fine, I have a good relationship with him and wish him all the best.”
Parkinson accepts the financial implications of selling Madine – a deal which made him the third most expensive export in Wanderers’ history behind Gary Cahill and Nicolas Anelka.
But the timing of his departure – and the lack of a replacement – has made life tougher for the Wanderers boss.
“The deal was initially in early January and we could have been in running for players then,” he said. “Unfortunately for us the Cardiff offer was nowhere near what the chairman wanted at that stage.
“It was only late in the day it came in. Ken has made a judgement call and he feels it was right for the club going forward to take it.
“Everyone knows money problems the club has had. Someone has to pay the wages each month.
“Ken knew the implications but as we always have done we will pull together, become tighter as a group and at end of the day hope it all works out.”
Ken Anderson had detailed his thoughts earlier in the day via a website column, which implied his hand had been forced in the deal by Madine’s request.
But the chairman insisted there had been no ill-feeling in the deal.
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/15914485._We_were_hoping_it_wasn_t_going_to_happen____Parkinson_explains_Madine_deadline_day_sale_frustration/?ref=mr&lp=1