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Ian Evatt insists he will not allow Wanderers to “stand still” after promotion or repeat the mistakes of 12 months ago in the summer transfer window.
The Bolton boss will meet individually with his players today to discuss future plans and – in some cases – inform them the club will not be renewing their contract for next season.
It is believed that 18 players have reached the end of their current deal but that a few, including Gethin Jones, Matt Gilks and Alex Baptiste, have already discussed the potential of playing on.
Evatt is preparing himself to make some tough calls on the squad which secured League One football just over a week ago – but with a target of once again challenging for promotion next year, he knows there will have to be casualties.
He is also mindful that last season’s early recruitment left the club vulnerable, so has been working with technical performance director Chris Markham to identify a large shortlist of players who will suit his style of football.
“We have to get our summer recruitment in a better position than we did last season,” he said. “We have learned lessons and we won’t make the same mistakes again.
“We ae already looking at the team and how we can improve it, and I think it is important that we separate sentiment, that we don’t stand still.
“The minute you do that is where you start to fail, so we are going to be pro-active. We will look to improve in every aspect, every department, and that is where the hard work has been focussed behind the scenes.”
Evatt will not be taking a break this summer to concentrate completely on improving Wanderers’ squad for the challenge of League One football.
After celebrating promotion in the days after the game at Crawley he has now switched gears to next season’s preparation. But Evatt does look back with regret at one aspect of a successful first term at the club – the fact he did not end up with any silverware.
“I want more,” he said. “In fact, I’m annoyed we didn’t win the league, to be honest.
“I feel we were the best team and we gave the whole division a 20 game head-start and still got promoted.
“I am just more frustrated that we haven’t won the league because I think we deserve to be champions.
“But preparations were being made for pre-season one minute past five on Saturday - in my head anyway. That’s where I’m at and that’s what I want. I don’t stop here and I don’t want to stop.”
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The Bolton boss will meet individually with his players today to discuss future plans and – in some cases – inform them the club will not be renewing their contract for next season.
It is believed that 18 players have reached the end of their current deal but that a few, including Gethin Jones, Matt Gilks and Alex Baptiste, have already discussed the potential of playing on.
Evatt is preparing himself to make some tough calls on the squad which secured League One football just over a week ago – but with a target of once again challenging for promotion next year, he knows there will have to be casualties.
He is also mindful that last season’s early recruitment left the club vulnerable, so has been working with technical performance director Chris Markham to identify a large shortlist of players who will suit his style of football.
“We have to get our summer recruitment in a better position than we did last season,” he said. “We have learned lessons and we won’t make the same mistakes again.
“We ae already looking at the team and how we can improve it, and I think it is important that we separate sentiment, that we don’t stand still.
“The minute you do that is where you start to fail, so we are going to be pro-active. We will look to improve in every aspect, every department, and that is where the hard work has been focussed behind the scenes.”
Evatt will not be taking a break this summer to concentrate completely on improving Wanderers’ squad for the challenge of League One football.
After celebrating promotion in the days after the game at Crawley he has now switched gears to next season’s preparation. But Evatt does look back with regret at one aspect of a successful first term at the club – the fact he did not end up with any silverware.
“I want more,” he said. “In fact, I’m annoyed we didn’t win the league, to be honest.
“I feel we were the best team and we gave the whole division a 20 game head-start and still got promoted.
“I am just more frustrated that we haven’t won the league because I think we deserve to be champions.
“But preparations were being made for pre-season one minute past five on Saturday - in my head anyway. That’s where I’m at and that’s what I want. I don’t stop here and I don’t want to stop.”
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