Home
If any player has stood out in Wanderers’ opening two pre-season victories, it has been their new left-sided flyer, Liam Gordon.
Boasting the sort of electric pace the great Bibi Gardner had in his prime, the 21-year-old Londoner looks like he could be a diamond in the rough that Bolton’s new recruitment policy has been looking to mine.
Of course, it is very early days for the former Dagenham and Redbridge defender, who came through the ranks of Fulham and AFC Wimbledon as a teenager – and his move to the North West represents his first steps into professional football.
But the youngster is confident that his move to Lancashire will be the catalyst he needs to realise his potential.
“I have moved up here by myself,” he told The Bolton News. “But it’s a good thing to get away from where I came from.
“Family and friends can be a distraction, so I am up here on my own and I can solely focus on football.
“I will be fine. It’s something I absolutely needed to do.”
Evatt puts great significance on his two wide players – dubbed ‘hybrids’ – for providing as much of an attacking threat as they do in defence.
To cover the sort of ground being asked of them, fitness will be key. And Gordon admits there is a heavy workload being placed on his shoulders by his new boss.
“The gaffer wants me everywhere, so I have got to try and get the best out of myself,” said the Guyana international after Saturday’s 7-0 win at Northern Premier League outfit Bamber Bridge backed up the 3-0 victory against Atherton Colls.
“It’s great. I just want to work for the team.
“There’s a big season ahead for us so we have got to dig in now, get as fit as I possibly can, and then the results can some.
“You have to be pleased with the scoreline on Saturday – the boys were ruthless. But I am happy we got two clean sheets in the games as well.
“I’m a defender, first and foremost, so that’s pleasing. We have worked hard for that over the last few weeks.”
Wanderers travelled for a training camp in the Midlands yesterday and will play one friendly game during the course of their stay.
Gordon is looking forward to the opportunity of spending even more time on the training ground with a squad which has been assembled in double-quick time.
Evatt has made 14 new signings this summer and says he wants to refine some of the tactical details this week which have been absent in the first two games.
For Gordon, the trip will be a good opportunity to bond with his new team-mates in a different environment than the day-to-day grind of Lostock.
“Everyone is getting to know each other at the moment and it’s a completely different dressing room than it would have been last year,” he said.
“The boys have gelled from the first day and I think you can see that with the relationships out there on the pitch, it has worked well. You want to make this club feel like a home.
“We’re all looking forward to the season starting.
“We have a couple more friendlies but it’s a case now of learning and improving.
“We’ll be in each other’s pockets for a long time now but it’s a good time to get away from families and just focus on ourselves.
“For me it’s about taking in everything the manager is saying, getting as fit as I possibly can, and making sure I am as ready as I can possibly be for the first game of the season.”
Source
Boasting the sort of electric pace the great Bibi Gardner had in his prime, the 21-year-old Londoner looks like he could be a diamond in the rough that Bolton’s new recruitment policy has been looking to mine.
Of course, it is very early days for the former Dagenham and Redbridge defender, who came through the ranks of Fulham and AFC Wimbledon as a teenager – and his move to the North West represents his first steps into professional football.
But the youngster is confident that his move to Lancashire will be the catalyst he needs to realise his potential.
“I have moved up here by myself,” he told The Bolton News. “But it’s a good thing to get away from where I came from.
“Family and friends can be a distraction, so I am up here on my own and I can solely focus on football.
“I will be fine. It’s something I absolutely needed to do.”
Evatt puts great significance on his two wide players – dubbed ‘hybrids’ – for providing as much of an attacking threat as they do in defence.
To cover the sort of ground being asked of them, fitness will be key. And Gordon admits there is a heavy workload being placed on his shoulders by his new boss.
“The gaffer wants me everywhere, so I have got to try and get the best out of myself,” said the Guyana international after Saturday’s 7-0 win at Northern Premier League outfit Bamber Bridge backed up the 3-0 victory against Atherton Colls.
“It’s great. I just want to work for the team.
“There’s a big season ahead for us so we have got to dig in now, get as fit as I possibly can, and then the results can some.
“You have to be pleased with the scoreline on Saturday – the boys were ruthless. But I am happy we got two clean sheets in the games as well.
“I’m a defender, first and foremost, so that’s pleasing. We have worked hard for that over the last few weeks.”
Wanderers travelled for a training camp in the Midlands yesterday and will play one friendly game during the course of their stay.
Gordon is looking forward to the opportunity of spending even more time on the training ground with a squad which has been assembled in double-quick time.
Evatt has made 14 new signings this summer and says he wants to refine some of the tactical details this week which have been absent in the first two games.
For Gordon, the trip will be a good opportunity to bond with his new team-mates in a different environment than the day-to-day grind of Lostock.
“Everyone is getting to know each other at the moment and it’s a completely different dressing room than it would have been last year,” he said.
“The boys have gelled from the first day and I think you can see that with the relationships out there on the pitch, it has worked well. You want to make this club feel like a home.
“We’re all looking forward to the season starting.
“We have a couple more friendlies but it’s a case now of learning and improving.
“We’ll be in each other’s pockets for a long time now but it’s a good time to get away from families and just focus on ourselves.
“For me it’s about taking in everything the manager is saying, getting as fit as I possibly can, and making sure I am as ready as I can possibly be for the first game of the season.”
Source