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Alex Baptiste believes he has a dual role on his return to Bolton Wanderers.
The 34-year-old defender has been picked up by former Blackpool team-mate Ian Evatt having impressed on trial in the first couple of weeks of pre-season.
Now as he settles back in at the University of Bolton Stadium, where he made 43 appearances between 2013 and 2015, Baptiste knows he has an added responsibility as the elder statesman of the Whites’ backline.
Evatt’s new faces include George Taft, 27, Ricardo Santos, 25, Reiss Greenidge, 24, Gethin Jones, 24, Liam Gordon, 21, and Jak Hickman, 21.
Ryan Delaney, 23, Liam Edwards, 23, and Harry Brockbank, 21, were all already at the club meaning Baptiste brings the average age of the defence up somewhat.
It’s something he is well aware of and doesn’t shy away from, ready to pass on his experiences from time with the Seasiders, Mansfield, Blackburn, Preston and Queens Park Rangers among others.
“What I got passed on from older players, I’m in that position now and it’s important for me to pass that on to the younger lads to show them how to do it and how to do it every day, coming into training at 100 per cent,” said Baptiste.
“I think that’s the main thing for me.
“I know that I’m quite old compared to a lot of the lads and my job is just as important on the pitch as off the pitch. I need to teach them the right ways to be a professional footballer.
“There’s some fantastic youngsters coming through, I think Reiss is a superstar in the making and there’s a lot of lads who have got massive chances.”
Having spent a couple of weeks on trial after being restricted to just two games for Doncaster last season, Baptiste has been with Evatt’s group from the start of pre-season.
And he believes his former Bloomfield Road team-mate is giving players a real chance to shine and kickstart their careers.
“It all starts from the top and they’ve all got a really clear outline of how they want to play,” Baptiste told the club website.
“They were on at us from day one about positional sense and where they want us to be.
“It’s only going to make the players better, they know what they’re doing day in, day out, they know what positions to be in.
“If the formation works and they work in the formation, they can stand out and be excellent footballers, go on and get promotions with Bolton.
“Everyone wants promotion, it’s a long season, we’ve got to take it a day at a time, give 100 per cent in every single training session, and I’ll help out where I can with the young lads.”
Evatt isn’t his only former Blackpool colleague with Matt Gilks and Nathan Delfouneso also arriving this summer.
But Baptiste insists it’s been all business with little time to look back on Blackpool’s season in the Premier League under Ian Holloway.
“He (Evatt) was a big part in me coming back,” Baptiste said.
“He came in (as manager) and we know each other from our Blackpool days but it’s a business relationship.
“We’re here to work, we only want one thing and that’s promotion for Bolton.
“I’ve come in the door and he’s been on at me about what he wants me to do, what he wants the team to do.”
Evatt warned his players from day one that there would be plenty of hard yards in pre-season so he can implement his style.
Baptiste believes everyone is buying in to what is expected, and knows it is necessary to achieve the goal of making an immediate return to League One.
“It’s been really tough, but enjoyable,” he said.
“There is one goal for this football club, promotion. Look at the size of it, it’s a Championship, Premier League club.
“It’s going to be tough but it’s about laying the foundations to do that and these are the hard days that you’ve got to go through.”
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The 34-year-old defender has been picked up by former Blackpool team-mate Ian Evatt having impressed on trial in the first couple of weeks of pre-season.
Now as he settles back in at the University of Bolton Stadium, where he made 43 appearances between 2013 and 2015, Baptiste knows he has an added responsibility as the elder statesman of the Whites’ backline.
Evatt’s new faces include George Taft, 27, Ricardo Santos, 25, Reiss Greenidge, 24, Gethin Jones, 24, Liam Gordon, 21, and Jak Hickman, 21.
Ryan Delaney, 23, Liam Edwards, 23, and Harry Brockbank, 21, were all already at the club meaning Baptiste brings the average age of the defence up somewhat.
It’s something he is well aware of and doesn’t shy away from, ready to pass on his experiences from time with the Seasiders, Mansfield, Blackburn, Preston and Queens Park Rangers among others.
“What I got passed on from older players, I’m in that position now and it’s important for me to pass that on to the younger lads to show them how to do it and how to do it every day, coming into training at 100 per cent,” said Baptiste.
“I think that’s the main thing for me.
“I know that I’m quite old compared to a lot of the lads and my job is just as important on the pitch as off the pitch. I need to teach them the right ways to be a professional footballer.
“There’s some fantastic youngsters coming through, I think Reiss is a superstar in the making and there’s a lot of lads who have got massive chances.”
Having spent a couple of weeks on trial after being restricted to just two games for Doncaster last season, Baptiste has been with Evatt’s group from the start of pre-season.
And he believes his former Bloomfield Road team-mate is giving players a real chance to shine and kickstart their careers.
“It all starts from the top and they’ve all got a really clear outline of how they want to play,” Baptiste told the club website.
“They were on at us from day one about positional sense and where they want us to be.
“It’s only going to make the players better, they know what they’re doing day in, day out, they know what positions to be in.
“If the formation works and they work in the formation, they can stand out and be excellent footballers, go on and get promotions with Bolton.
“Everyone wants promotion, it’s a long season, we’ve got to take it a day at a time, give 100 per cent in every single training session, and I’ll help out where I can with the young lads.”
Evatt isn’t his only former Blackpool colleague with Matt Gilks and Nathan Delfouneso also arriving this summer.
But Baptiste insists it’s been all business with little time to look back on Blackpool’s season in the Premier League under Ian Holloway.
“He (Evatt) was a big part in me coming back,” Baptiste said.
“He came in (as manager) and we know each other from our Blackpool days but it’s a business relationship.
“We’re here to work, we only want one thing and that’s promotion for Bolton.
“I’ve come in the door and he’s been on at me about what he wants me to do, what he wants the team to do.”
Evatt warned his players from day one that there would be plenty of hard yards in pre-season so he can implement his style.
Baptiste believes everyone is buying in to what is expected, and knows it is necessary to achieve the goal of making an immediate return to League One.
“It’s been really tough, but enjoyable,” he said.
“There is one goal for this football club, promotion. Look at the size of it, it’s a Championship, Premier League club.
“It’s going to be tough but it’s about laying the foundations to do that and these are the hard days that you’ve got to go through.”
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