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Wanderers’ starting line-up at Ipswich Town on Saturday did not contain the names of David Wheater or Mark Beevers for the first time in Parkinson’s 27 months in charge.
Jack Hobbs and Marc Wilson anchored the defence at Portman Road – but with the latter facing a one-game suspension, changes could once more be afoot.
Wanderers are yet to indicate whether they will appeal against Wilson’s red card, dished out by referee Stephen Martin for a professional foul on Kayden Jackson.
After making a statement with his selection against Ipswich, however, Parkinson has put all four of his central defenders on notice that places are up for grabs.
“It was a big call,” he told The Bolton News. “Wheats and Beevers have been great for us but we threw in two more players or real Championship quality.
“If you go back to the Leeds game, okay we got beat, but we played well and we’d started with Hobbs and Wilson at the back. I felt Wheater and Beevers thought ‘hey, what’s going on?’ And they responded to that challenge.
“It was a real shame about Marc’s red card because at that point I thought the pair of them looked so comfortable.
“We have now got some real competition in that area of the team – they have all got different qualities, and that’s the key. I want to get the best out of them.”
Parkinson had checked out Ipswich in person last Tuesday night with chief scout Tim Breacker before travelling up for the game at Middlesbrough and then back down to Suffolk with the squad on Friday.
The Bolton boss will be glad to spend most of this week at the Lostock training ground but feels the extra work paid off with the point at weekend.
“I learned a lot on Tuesday night,” he said. “I was very pleased with the result. Getting beat on Wednesday meant it was so important we got back on that coach with something in the bag.”
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Jack Hobbs and Marc Wilson anchored the defence at Portman Road – but with the latter facing a one-game suspension, changes could once more be afoot.
Wanderers are yet to indicate whether they will appeal against Wilson’s red card, dished out by referee Stephen Martin for a professional foul on Kayden Jackson.
After making a statement with his selection against Ipswich, however, Parkinson has put all four of his central defenders on notice that places are up for grabs.
“It was a big call,” he told The Bolton News. “Wheats and Beevers have been great for us but we threw in two more players or real Championship quality.
“If you go back to the Leeds game, okay we got beat, but we played well and we’d started with Hobbs and Wilson at the back. I felt Wheater and Beevers thought ‘hey, what’s going on?’ And they responded to that challenge.
“It was a real shame about Marc’s red card because at that point I thought the pair of them looked so comfortable.
“We have now got some real competition in that area of the team – they have all got different qualities, and that’s the key. I want to get the best out of them.”
Parkinson had checked out Ipswich in person last Tuesday night with chief scout Tim Breacker before travelling up for the game at Middlesbrough and then back down to Suffolk with the squad on Friday.
The Bolton boss will be glad to spend most of this week at the Lostock training ground but feels the extra work paid off with the point at weekend.
“I learned a lot on Tuesday night,” he said. “I was very pleased with the result. Getting beat on Wednesday meant it was so important we got back on that coach with something in the bag.”
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