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Keith Hill hopes Wanderers’ fans can help boost his players’ battered confidence when they take on Accrington at the UniBol.
After more late heartache at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday night, the Bolton boss admits dressing room egos are “bruised” as they prepare to welcome John Coleman’s side this afternoon.
Eager to gain some measure of revenge for the heaviest defeat of his managerial career, Hill has asked supporters to put their disappointment in recent form to one side for what could be a fiery Lancashire clash.
“It is easy to support and be a fan when you are winning football matches,” he told The Bolton News. “And it’s difficult right now and I understand that everyone reacts differently.
“But the players in their own home environment need a little bit of help, just to settle them and give them that belief. That is all I am asking for.
“The supporters have been magnificent and they were on Tuesday – they continue to support this football club because it is marvellous club.
“On Saturday the players need real support from our fans. They are not beaten but with recent results they feel a bit bruised. They need encouragement and support.
“They need to regain that belief. Pressure has always, for me, been a simple thing to deal with. As long as you wake up in the morning you are given a chance to achieve something.
“I embrace it and take it on almost. Sometimes I thrive on it even if I don’t enjoy it but I will never hide from it.
“I am looking at our group and I think they need a bit of protection, a bit more help if we can.
“They are not responsible for this season. They are responsible for certain parts, performances, results, but not what has happened to get Bolton Wanderers into this situation as the season developed.
“As much as I don’t mind pressure I don’t understand some of the pressure on this team at this moment in time.”
Hill has railed against talk that his job could be under threat and believes the club’s ownership brought him in last August knowing relegation was a possibility.
The job of winning back some hearts and minds and establishing a positive mood among supporters is not a simple one. The Boltonian admits he does not know if he can change opinions among some sections of the support – but his plan over the last 12 games of this campaign is to re-establish a winning mentality inside the club.
“I am looking for brave people to be committed, honourable and trustworthy, it is as simple as that,” he said. “I am the manager of the football club and I enjoy that. We are going through a lot of pain but we’re doing a lot of work. I will not shirk my responsibilities, and my biggest one at this moment in time is trying to turn the team which is losing games into one that is winning games.
“I don’t want to carry any negativity into next season, I don’t think the club should be.
“I think there should be a massive plan for next season, embrace a positive new era, because that is what it will be. It will be starting afresh, and we want to create excitement.
“We want to make sure that anything that can be parked in this season, is parked in this season, and that we can make sure we are 100 per cent responsible for next season’s league campaign.”
Source
After more late heartache at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday night, the Bolton boss admits dressing room egos are “bruised” as they prepare to welcome John Coleman’s side this afternoon.
Eager to gain some measure of revenge for the heaviest defeat of his managerial career, Hill has asked supporters to put their disappointment in recent form to one side for what could be a fiery Lancashire clash.
“It is easy to support and be a fan when you are winning football matches,” he told The Bolton News. “And it’s difficult right now and I understand that everyone reacts differently.
“But the players in their own home environment need a little bit of help, just to settle them and give them that belief. That is all I am asking for.
“The supporters have been magnificent and they were on Tuesday – they continue to support this football club because it is marvellous club.
“On Saturday the players need real support from our fans. They are not beaten but with recent results they feel a bit bruised. They need encouragement and support.
“They need to regain that belief. Pressure has always, for me, been a simple thing to deal with. As long as you wake up in the morning you are given a chance to achieve something.
“I embrace it and take it on almost. Sometimes I thrive on it even if I don’t enjoy it but I will never hide from it.
“I am looking at our group and I think they need a bit of protection, a bit more help if we can.
“They are not responsible for this season. They are responsible for certain parts, performances, results, but not what has happened to get Bolton Wanderers into this situation as the season developed.
“As much as I don’t mind pressure I don’t understand some of the pressure on this team at this moment in time.”
Hill has railed against talk that his job could be under threat and believes the club’s ownership brought him in last August knowing relegation was a possibility.
The job of winning back some hearts and minds and establishing a positive mood among supporters is not a simple one. The Boltonian admits he does not know if he can change opinions among some sections of the support – but his plan over the last 12 games of this campaign is to re-establish a winning mentality inside the club.
“I am looking for brave people to be committed, honourable and trustworthy, it is as simple as that,” he said. “I am the manager of the football club and I enjoy that. We are going through a lot of pain but we’re doing a lot of work. I will not shirk my responsibilities, and my biggest one at this moment in time is trying to turn the team which is losing games into one that is winning games.
“I don’t want to carry any negativity into next season, I don’t think the club should be.
“I think there should be a massive plan for next season, embrace a positive new era, because that is what it will be. It will be starting afresh, and we want to create excitement.
“We want to make sure that anything that can be parked in this season, is parked in this season, and that we can make sure we are 100 per cent responsible for next season’s league campaign.”
Source