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Ian Evatt is confident he will get the right reaction from Billy Crellin against Bradford City tonight.
The Wanderers boss has found himself in the middle of a media furore after comments made about his on-loan goalkeeper’s mistake at Cambridge United on Saturday.
Evatt apologised for his choice of words but stands by his choice to question the 20-year-old’s recent form, insisting it will get a positive response.
He spoke privately to Crellin at the weekend and addressed his players as a group on Monday morning as they prepared for the visit of Stuart McCall’s Bantams tonight.
“To everybody who doesn’t know Ian Evatt or Billy Crellin, or how I manage football teams, that is what I’ll say – I understand human beings, personalities and characteristics,” he told The Bolton News. “If I didn’t think he could cope with what I said, I wouldn’t have said it.
“I have spoken to Billy. I reiterated the belief and the faith I have in him and that there were a million and one options in the summer to bring a goalkeeper in and I chose him to be our number one.
“I also don’t put a keeper on the bench because of the faith I have in him.
“In no way, shape or form was what I said personal to him or anyone else. It was that my standards are high and if anyone slips under those standards they will be told.
“Again, where it went wrong was the terminology. That’s my own fault and it really hurt me that I have offended some people because that isn’t me as a human being let alone a football manager.
“The players understand who I am, they buy into it, and they understood this morning the standards we want as a group. We want to win and to do that sometimes you have to get through mistakes and errors, you have to build resilience.
“In my opinion, my style of management is to be open and honest with the players and I know they respect that, and long-term it will bode well for us.”
Evatt says he has no plans to change his policy of not naming a back-up keeper on his bench, such is his confidence that Crellin will come good.
“I believe in Billy,” he said. “If something were to happen, or he got a knock then we would have to reassess but at the moment he is my number one keeper and someone I have complete faith in.
“He has so many attributes – he can kick it, make saves, he’s big. In terms of his characteristics I would like him to be more vocal but that will come with experience and age.
“He’s a confident boy and all the best keepers are confident people who can deal with criticism.”
Wanderers were drawn against Crewe Alexandra in last night’s FA Cup first round draw.
Evatt’s side have already faced the Railwaymen in a pre-season friendly and an EFL Trophy game in the last few months.
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The Wanderers boss has found himself in the middle of a media furore after comments made about his on-loan goalkeeper’s mistake at Cambridge United on Saturday.
Evatt apologised for his choice of words but stands by his choice to question the 20-year-old’s recent form, insisting it will get a positive response.
He spoke privately to Crellin at the weekend and addressed his players as a group on Monday morning as they prepared for the visit of Stuart McCall’s Bantams tonight.
“To everybody who doesn’t know Ian Evatt or Billy Crellin, or how I manage football teams, that is what I’ll say – I understand human beings, personalities and characteristics,” he told The Bolton News. “If I didn’t think he could cope with what I said, I wouldn’t have said it.
“I have spoken to Billy. I reiterated the belief and the faith I have in him and that there were a million and one options in the summer to bring a goalkeeper in and I chose him to be our number one.
“I also don’t put a keeper on the bench because of the faith I have in him.
“In no way, shape or form was what I said personal to him or anyone else. It was that my standards are high and if anyone slips under those standards they will be told.
“Again, where it went wrong was the terminology. That’s my own fault and it really hurt me that I have offended some people because that isn’t me as a human being let alone a football manager.
“The players understand who I am, they buy into it, and they understood this morning the standards we want as a group. We want to win and to do that sometimes you have to get through mistakes and errors, you have to build resilience.
“In my opinion, my style of management is to be open and honest with the players and I know they respect that, and long-term it will bode well for us.”
Evatt says he has no plans to change his policy of not naming a back-up keeper on his bench, such is his confidence that Crellin will come good.
“I believe in Billy,” he said. “If something were to happen, or he got a knock then we would have to reassess but at the moment he is my number one keeper and someone I have complete faith in.
“He has so many attributes – he can kick it, make saves, he’s big. In terms of his characteristics I would like him to be more vocal but that will come with experience and age.
“He’s a confident boy and all the best keepers are confident people who can deal with criticism.”
Wanderers were drawn against Crewe Alexandra in last night’s FA Cup first round draw.
Evatt’s side have already faced the Railwaymen in a pre-season friendly and an EFL Trophy game in the last few months.
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