Home
KEITH Hill and David Flitcroft have vowed to create a “winning environment” at Wanderers.
The new management pair was unveiled to the media this morning following a busy deadline day which saw them bring in nine first team players.
Hill has confirmed the squad which will play against Bradford City in the Leasing.Com Trophy tonight will be comprised mainly of the youth team and development squad players who featured at Gillingham on Saturday.
Jimmy Phillips has been asked to oversee the team, although Hill and Flitcroft will have input.
The new Bolton boss said it would have been difficult to throw his new signings into the mix at such short notice.
“I have not been introduced to the players on the training pitch and it would be foolish of me to include any of the new signings,” he told The Bolton News. “We are working on the premise of a 39-game season and it starts with training in preparation for the Rotherham game and thereafter. Small steps.
“I will be there tonight, encouraging the young players. I want them to show the characteristics they have shown in the last few weeks and that they can be brave and creative in a football sense.
“If they start doing that tonight I’ll be happy.”
Assistant boss Flitcroft is looking forward to meeting players and staff today for the first time after their appointment on Saturday evening.
He too believes the squad will benefit from some time together on the training ground before the next League One game against Rotherham a week on Saturday.
“Looking at how it unfolded yesterday we had players and wives finding out for the first time that the club they were at didn’t want them, or that they were moving on,” he said. “The physical and mental exhaustion of travelling up, maybe two trips, if you put that into the bank and then chuck them into a game where they were not prepared, I don’t know if it would be right.
“It is vital we get that right. It’s probably unprecedented that we have brought in a squad in 24 hours.
“We have spoken to the sports science team, we’ll now put a training programme together for this group and everyone else. They have all been at different levels so we need to look at that over the next four days.
“With the Bury game being off it gives us that chance of focussing on the group of players who were here, the youngsters and the ones we have brought in.
“That’s where we want to be now. We’ve been locked in a room and I have to apologise to some of the staff because normally you go into a new club, meet everyone and the stadium, the training ground, but we haven’t been able to do that. I hope they understand.
“We’ve been slowly chalking everything off, talking to different people. This club will always be about people.
“The challenge we have got is to get a first team that can help us get out of this predicament. That’s the one thing we do well – bring people together.”
Hill has not ruled out signing more free agents with three places left in his squad.
“It’s an option. The dust has got to settle first,” he said.
“We may rethink and revisit but there will have to be a period where we assess things first.”
Flitcroft added: “We want to get on the training ground now and assess the players – the natural connections you get – and see what the chemistry is like. There’s a lot that will go on over the next four days before we consider the possibility of another recruitment drive.”
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/17877172.boltons-new-boss-keith-hill-gives-update-bradford-city-plans/
The new management pair was unveiled to the media this morning following a busy deadline day which saw them bring in nine first team players.
Hill has confirmed the squad which will play against Bradford City in the Leasing.Com Trophy tonight will be comprised mainly of the youth team and development squad players who featured at Gillingham on Saturday.
Jimmy Phillips has been asked to oversee the team, although Hill and Flitcroft will have input.
The new Bolton boss said it would have been difficult to throw his new signings into the mix at such short notice.
“I have not been introduced to the players on the training pitch and it would be foolish of me to include any of the new signings,” he told The Bolton News. “We are working on the premise of a 39-game season and it starts with training in preparation for the Rotherham game and thereafter. Small steps.
“I will be there tonight, encouraging the young players. I want them to show the characteristics they have shown in the last few weeks and that they can be brave and creative in a football sense.
“If they start doing that tonight I’ll be happy.”
Assistant boss Flitcroft is looking forward to meeting players and staff today for the first time after their appointment on Saturday evening.
He too believes the squad will benefit from some time together on the training ground before the next League One game against Rotherham a week on Saturday.
“Looking at how it unfolded yesterday we had players and wives finding out for the first time that the club they were at didn’t want them, or that they were moving on,” he said. “The physical and mental exhaustion of travelling up, maybe two trips, if you put that into the bank and then chuck them into a game where they were not prepared, I don’t know if it would be right.
“It is vital we get that right. It’s probably unprecedented that we have brought in a squad in 24 hours.
“We have spoken to the sports science team, we’ll now put a training programme together for this group and everyone else. They have all been at different levels so we need to look at that over the next four days.
“With the Bury game being off it gives us that chance of focussing on the group of players who were here, the youngsters and the ones we have brought in.
“That’s where we want to be now. We’ve been locked in a room and I have to apologise to some of the staff because normally you go into a new club, meet everyone and the stadium, the training ground, but we haven’t been able to do that. I hope they understand.
“We’ve been slowly chalking everything off, talking to different people. This club will always be about people.
“The challenge we have got is to get a first team that can help us get out of this predicament. That’s the one thing we do well – bring people together.”
Hill has not ruled out signing more free agents with three places left in his squad.
“It’s an option. The dust has got to settle first,” he said.
“We may rethink and revisit but there will have to be a period where we assess things first.”
Flitcroft added: “We want to get on the training ground now and assess the players – the natural connections you get – and see what the chemistry is like. There’s a lot that will go on over the next four days before we consider the possibility of another recruitment drive.”
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/17877172.boltons-new-boss-keith-hill-gives-update-bradford-city-plans/