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JOSH Magennis can pin-point the moment he learned he was signing for Bolton Wanderers.
The Northern Ireland international, who is set to make his debut at West Brom today after becoming the club’s first cash signing in three-and-a-half years, strikes you as a player who takes nothing for granted.
And it was with a childish excitement in his voice that he described the phone call which would make him a Championship player for the first time in his career.
“I didn’t know whether it would ever happen for me at Bolton,” he told The Bolton News. “It had all frittered away when they came in for me in January and though we’d stayed in contact, I’d been told there were cash flow problems between the clubs. You wonder what’s happening.
“One day I’m sitting having breakfast and my agent rings and says ‘get your bags packed, the deal is done.’ And I just went – ‘What?’ “That was the best coffee and cornflakes I’ve ever had. I was on the road – I couldn’t believe it had all clicked like that.
“I’m so looking forward to being a Bolton Wanderers player.”
Magennis felt in his conversations with Phil Parkinson that his natural game could be utilised better than it had at Charlton Athletic where, by his own admission, performances divided fans’ opinion.
“It was a totally different style of football,” he said.
“You always try to do your best, of course, but did they get the best out of my attributes? I’d say not.
“People at Charlton just didn’t see the best of me as a player, and it’s disappointing but I am looking forward now.
“Everyone has confidence in their own ability but I’m at an age now where I’ve got a good idea what I’m good at, and where I can improve, and one of the big things when I spoke to Phil Parkinson was that our thinking lined up.
“What he expects from me is exactly what I expect from myself.”
The divide between Charlton’s fans and the club’s controversial owner, Ronald Duchatelet, has had an impact on the dressing room, admits Magennis.
Threats of supporter boycotts have now been issued and the 27-year-old hopes a quick sale and new ownership will see his former club’s stability restored.
“Before I had gone to Charlton I did my homework and I knew what the situation would be,” he said.
“It was very apparent there was a disconnect between the fans and the owners. It was there before I turned up and I think it will be there a long time after.
“That atmosphere will probably affect players until that club is sold.
“It’s a massive club and it’s really sad that some fans don’t want to come and watch football at Charlton and spend the money they work hard for from Monday to Friday while all that is going on.
“Hopefully they can sort out their differences and push on because it’s a really good club.”
Magennis also appreciates he has to give Wanderers fans a reason to get behind him, a task the Bangor-born striker is more than willing to begin this afternoon at The Hawthorns.
“I have to get my head down and graft,” he said. “That seems to have been a thread right through my career – point to prove, underdog. And that’s how I get up for games.
“West Brom is a tough start but why not go toe-to-toe with them? Lay down an early marker.
“They will be one of the teams people expect to get promotion but early-season results and performances can be strange.
“We can’t have any fear at all. That’s certainly the way I’m going into it.”
Magennis sees comparisons between the season ahead for Wanderers and his international journey with Northern Ireland.
“It has been an unbelievable ride. There are a lot of players who have taken a lot of time to get success with Northern Ireland and built to the level we are at now but I have been lucky enough to come in at a really good time,” he said.
“We have got team spirit, we know exactly what jobs we are doing and people write us off all the time. I want to replicate that with Bolton.”
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/16397671.josh-magennis-on-bolton-hopes-charlton-problems-and-breakfast/
The Northern Ireland international, who is set to make his debut at West Brom today after becoming the club’s first cash signing in three-and-a-half years, strikes you as a player who takes nothing for granted.
And it was with a childish excitement in his voice that he described the phone call which would make him a Championship player for the first time in his career.
“I didn’t know whether it would ever happen for me at Bolton,” he told The Bolton News. “It had all frittered away when they came in for me in January and though we’d stayed in contact, I’d been told there were cash flow problems between the clubs. You wonder what’s happening.
“One day I’m sitting having breakfast and my agent rings and says ‘get your bags packed, the deal is done.’ And I just went – ‘What?’ “That was the best coffee and cornflakes I’ve ever had. I was on the road – I couldn’t believe it had all clicked like that.
“I’m so looking forward to being a Bolton Wanderers player.”
Magennis felt in his conversations with Phil Parkinson that his natural game could be utilised better than it had at Charlton Athletic where, by his own admission, performances divided fans’ opinion.
“It was a totally different style of football,” he said.
“You always try to do your best, of course, but did they get the best out of my attributes? I’d say not.
“People at Charlton just didn’t see the best of me as a player, and it’s disappointing but I am looking forward now.
“Everyone has confidence in their own ability but I’m at an age now where I’ve got a good idea what I’m good at, and where I can improve, and one of the big things when I spoke to Phil Parkinson was that our thinking lined up.
“What he expects from me is exactly what I expect from myself.”
The divide between Charlton’s fans and the club’s controversial owner, Ronald Duchatelet, has had an impact on the dressing room, admits Magennis.
Threats of supporter boycotts have now been issued and the 27-year-old hopes a quick sale and new ownership will see his former club’s stability restored.
“Before I had gone to Charlton I did my homework and I knew what the situation would be,” he said.
“It was very apparent there was a disconnect between the fans and the owners. It was there before I turned up and I think it will be there a long time after.
“That atmosphere will probably affect players until that club is sold.
“It’s a massive club and it’s really sad that some fans don’t want to come and watch football at Charlton and spend the money they work hard for from Monday to Friday while all that is going on.
“Hopefully they can sort out their differences and push on because it’s a really good club.”
Magennis also appreciates he has to give Wanderers fans a reason to get behind him, a task the Bangor-born striker is more than willing to begin this afternoon at The Hawthorns.
“I have to get my head down and graft,” he said. “That seems to have been a thread right through my career – point to prove, underdog. And that’s how I get up for games.
“West Brom is a tough start but why not go toe-to-toe with them? Lay down an early marker.
“They will be one of the teams people expect to get promotion but early-season results and performances can be strange.
“We can’t have any fear at all. That’s certainly the way I’m going into it.”
Magennis sees comparisons between the season ahead for Wanderers and his international journey with Northern Ireland.
“It has been an unbelievable ride. There are a lot of players who have taken a lot of time to get success with Northern Ireland and built to the level we are at now but I have been lucky enough to come in at a really good time,” he said.
“We have got team spirit, we know exactly what jobs we are doing and people write us off all the time. I want to replicate that with Bolton.”
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/16397671.josh-magennis-on-bolton-hopes-charlton-problems-and-breakfast/