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Ian Evatt believes he can make room for up to four quality additions in the Wanderers squad this January – if they are within striking distance of the promotion picture.
The Bolton boss, who earlier this month allowed striker Muhammadu Faal to join National League Barnet, says he will look to move on players who are not getting enough first-team football when the window reopens in six weeks.
It is understood a goalkeeper will be one of the key positions Wanderers are looking to strengthen, with concerns existing over loanee Billy Crellin’s recent form and whether 38-year-old Matt Gilks can hold up the number one spot for the remainder of the campaign.
Evatt knows that investment in new arrivals will hang on how far away the Whites are from the top seven going into the New Year, however, as the club’s owners are unwilling to take unnecessary financial risks.
“We know where we are at, financially,” Evatt told The Bolton News. “I have spoken to the board and there’s room because we have kept ourselves sustainable and within budget. There is room to bring players in.
“I think we are three or four light. If we can add those bits of quality to what we already have in certain areas of the pitch then we’ll only improve.
“The challenge for us is to make sure that we are in contact of the upper echelons of the table when it comes to January because if we are, we’ll only progress.
“This club is heading in the right direction. We are getting things right off the pitch, and that’s credit to the board, Sharon (Brittan, chairman) and the rest. We are now getting a better reputation, we’ve got the integrity and honesty and we’re building the connection with the community again.
“But it’s now my job to get things right on the pitch and, yes, it has been slow progress so far.
“I have got faith in my own ability to get it right. It is taking time to get it right but when we do it’ll be a great place for everyone.
“We’ll make sure we reconnect with the town and the community again and we’ll become a football club to be proud of.”
Wanderers are bound by a transfer embargo until next May and also by the restrictions of a salary cap, which also limits numbers.
Evatt says he is not under pressure to move players on – but admits there may be some members of his squad who naturally look elsewhere for games.
“We don’t have to move people on because of the Under-21s situation, they don’t count (in the quota), and we have quite a few of those,” he said. “Muhammadu Faal has gone out on loan.
“But the reality is that if we’re bringing people in then there are people who are not playing who’ll need to go out and play.
“For me, you should never be happy as a footballer being sat in the stand. You should want to go out and play as much as possible.
“You are playing to stay or you are playing to get away, that is how it is.
“You need to be working towards playing on the grass on a Saturday to feel that you are a football player. Training Monday to Friday is great but if there’s no end to the week it can become frustrating really quickly.
“There will be opportunities for players to go out on loan if they want to play but we don’t need to, it would be my choice for them to go and get regular football rather than be sat in the stands here.”
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The Bolton boss, who earlier this month allowed striker Muhammadu Faal to join National League Barnet, says he will look to move on players who are not getting enough first-team football when the window reopens in six weeks.
It is understood a goalkeeper will be one of the key positions Wanderers are looking to strengthen, with concerns existing over loanee Billy Crellin’s recent form and whether 38-year-old Matt Gilks can hold up the number one spot for the remainder of the campaign.
Evatt knows that investment in new arrivals will hang on how far away the Whites are from the top seven going into the New Year, however, as the club’s owners are unwilling to take unnecessary financial risks.
“We know where we are at, financially,” Evatt told The Bolton News. “I have spoken to the board and there’s room because we have kept ourselves sustainable and within budget. There is room to bring players in.
“I think we are three or four light. If we can add those bits of quality to what we already have in certain areas of the pitch then we’ll only improve.
“The challenge for us is to make sure that we are in contact of the upper echelons of the table when it comes to January because if we are, we’ll only progress.
“This club is heading in the right direction. We are getting things right off the pitch, and that’s credit to the board, Sharon (Brittan, chairman) and the rest. We are now getting a better reputation, we’ve got the integrity and honesty and we’re building the connection with the community again.
“But it’s now my job to get things right on the pitch and, yes, it has been slow progress so far.
“I have got faith in my own ability to get it right. It is taking time to get it right but when we do it’ll be a great place for everyone.
“We’ll make sure we reconnect with the town and the community again and we’ll become a football club to be proud of.”
Wanderers are bound by a transfer embargo until next May and also by the restrictions of a salary cap, which also limits numbers.
Evatt says he is not under pressure to move players on – but admits there may be some members of his squad who naturally look elsewhere for games.
“We don’t have to move people on because of the Under-21s situation, they don’t count (in the quota), and we have quite a few of those,” he said. “Muhammadu Faal has gone out on loan.
“But the reality is that if we’re bringing people in then there are people who are not playing who’ll need to go out and play.
“For me, you should never be happy as a footballer being sat in the stand. You should want to go out and play as much as possible.
“You are playing to stay or you are playing to get away, that is how it is.
“You need to be working towards playing on the grass on a Saturday to feel that you are a football player. Training Monday to Friday is great but if there’s no end to the week it can become frustrating really quickly.
“There will be opportunities for players to go out on loan if they want to play but we don’t need to, it would be my choice for them to go and get regular football rather than be sat in the stands here.”
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