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As Wanderers’ quest to avoid relegation reaches desperation stakes – Phil Parkinson has pleaded with his players to ‘help themselves’.
Needing a positive result in Saturday’s game at Barnsley to end a wretched run, the Whites boss is looking to his dressing room for encouragement that the club’s survival bid is still alive.
Criticism of Parkinson and his team has intensified in the aftermath of defeat at home to Millwall on Tuesday night. A pre-match call for supporters to back the team produced a positive response in the stands, not mirrored on the pitch.
Now, faced with arguably the most important game in his 20 months at the Macron Stadium, Parkinson admits only his players can bail themselves out of their current predicament.
“We have to find a way,” he told The Bolton News. “Players have to take more responsibility because if they don’t, we are in trouble.
“You have to accept it’s a pressure situation and deal with it, but we need players who are going to produce a moment.
“That’s not a case of ‘come on Alfie, give us a goal’ – it’s also can a centre-back stick his head on the ball in the middle of the goal from a set play. Can one of our wide players sprint 75 yards like Ben Marshall did (for Millwall) to get into the box and score a goal? Everyone has to take responsibility.
“I have spoken to the lads – let’s not wait for Alfie to score. Everyone needs to think ‘can I be the one to score that goal to give us a lift?’
“We have to find some way to get a result down at Barnsley.”
Wanderers have won just one game away from home in the Championship all season but it looks increasingly like their survival will hinge on their ability to win – or at least avoid defeat – at Oakwell, and a fortnight later at Burton Albion.
The prospects look slim if Parkinson’s side continue in a similar vein to the second half on Tuesday night.
“I’d asked for the fans support, and it was good,” he said. “I thank them for that.
“But the players know I was disappointed.”
Source
Needing a positive result in Saturday’s game at Barnsley to end a wretched run, the Whites boss is looking to his dressing room for encouragement that the club’s survival bid is still alive.
Criticism of Parkinson and his team has intensified in the aftermath of defeat at home to Millwall on Tuesday night. A pre-match call for supporters to back the team produced a positive response in the stands, not mirrored on the pitch.
Now, faced with arguably the most important game in his 20 months at the Macron Stadium, Parkinson admits only his players can bail themselves out of their current predicament.
“We have to find a way,” he told The Bolton News. “Players have to take more responsibility because if they don’t, we are in trouble.
“You have to accept it’s a pressure situation and deal with it, but we need players who are going to produce a moment.
“That’s not a case of ‘come on Alfie, give us a goal’ – it’s also can a centre-back stick his head on the ball in the middle of the goal from a set play. Can one of our wide players sprint 75 yards like Ben Marshall did (for Millwall) to get into the box and score a goal? Everyone has to take responsibility.
“I have spoken to the lads – let’s not wait for Alfie to score. Everyone needs to think ‘can I be the one to score that goal to give us a lift?’
“We have to find some way to get a result down at Barnsley.”
Wanderers have won just one game away from home in the Championship all season but it looks increasingly like their survival will hinge on their ability to win – or at least avoid defeat – at Oakwell, and a fortnight later at Burton Albion.
The prospects look slim if Parkinson’s side continue in a similar vein to the second half on Tuesday night.
“I’d asked for the fans support, and it was good,” he said. “I thank them for that.
“But the players know I was disappointed.”
Source