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Keith Hill says he played no part in Adam Chicksen’s decision to stay with Wanderers during the international break.
Zimbabwe’s Football Association have confirmed that the Bolton full-back has been granted a passport, which would have allowed him to represent the Warriors in their Nations Cup games against Botswana and Zambia.
But the 28-year-old politely declined the call-up to ensure he did not miss playing in Wanderers’ League One game against MK Dons, and potentially this weekend’s trip to Accrington Stanley.
Chicksen is hoping to earn a contract extension in January but his manager, Hill, has revealed he deliberately stepped aside to allow the defender to make up his own mind, to avoid any possible confrontations between club and country.
“It wasn’t my decision,” Hill told The Bolton News. “I have found in the past when I tried to persuade players not to represent their country it hasn’t so much backfired, but you have this continual three-way fight between club manager, international manager and player.
“It gets in the way. It ends up being a provocative thing, too emotional, and it’s wrong.
“I took myself out of the situation as a manager and let him make the decision. It shouldn’t be influenced by me.
“I can’t tell a player not to represent their country. If he feels like it’s something he wants to do, it will happen. It was down to Adam Chicksen and was entirely his call.”
Wanderers will be looking to string four league wins together for the first time in three years when they travel to Accrington for what will be their first-ever league meeting.
Bolton did lock horns with two other clubs from the town, Accrington FC – one of the founder members of the Football League – and the previous incarnation of Accrington Stanley, who were dissolved in 1966.
Lancastrian pride will be at stake but with his side in decent form, Hill reiterated that the focus cannot be allowed to fade within the club.
“There are 30 games to play,” he said. “Moving on to positive points gave everybody a lot of positivity but whether it’s a defining point in the season, I don’t know. Maybe we’ll only know after the next set of 10 games.”
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Zimbabwe’s Football Association have confirmed that the Bolton full-back has been granted a passport, which would have allowed him to represent the Warriors in their Nations Cup games against Botswana and Zambia.
But the 28-year-old politely declined the call-up to ensure he did not miss playing in Wanderers’ League One game against MK Dons, and potentially this weekend’s trip to Accrington Stanley.
Chicksen is hoping to earn a contract extension in January but his manager, Hill, has revealed he deliberately stepped aside to allow the defender to make up his own mind, to avoid any possible confrontations between club and country.
“It wasn’t my decision,” Hill told The Bolton News. “I have found in the past when I tried to persuade players not to represent their country it hasn’t so much backfired, but you have this continual three-way fight between club manager, international manager and player.
“It gets in the way. It ends up being a provocative thing, too emotional, and it’s wrong.
“I took myself out of the situation as a manager and let him make the decision. It shouldn’t be influenced by me.
“I can’t tell a player not to represent their country. If he feels like it’s something he wants to do, it will happen. It was down to Adam Chicksen and was entirely his call.”
Wanderers will be looking to string four league wins together for the first time in three years when they travel to Accrington for what will be their first-ever league meeting.
Bolton did lock horns with two other clubs from the town, Accrington FC – one of the founder members of the Football League – and the previous incarnation of Accrington Stanley, who were dissolved in 1966.
Lancastrian pride will be at stake but with his side in decent form, Hill reiterated that the focus cannot be allowed to fade within the club.
“There are 30 games to play,” he said. “Moving on to positive points gave everybody a lot of positivity but whether it’s a defining point in the season, I don’t know. Maybe we’ll only know after the next set of 10 games.”
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