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Ian Evatt has suggested to his players that they remove themselves from social media to avoid damaging confidence in a crucial run of games to the end of the year.
The Wanderers boss predicts that his side could be in for a “turbulent time” in the lead up to the January window as injuries to key players like Gethin Jones, Josh Sheehan, Amadou Bakayoko and Lloyd Isgrove continue to limit his options.
Reaction to a poor performance in a 3-0 defeat at Fleetwood was severe and has led Evatt to question whether it would be better for his squad to limit their online interaction to keep maximum focus on their game.
“We got a lot of criticism after the Fleetwood game and some of it was entirely fair, some of it was not,” he told The Bolton News.
“What we have to do is prove a point to those doubters – and we will prove a point, I am confident of that.
“But if that means some of the players have to take some heat, remove themselves form social media platforms, or whatever else, rather than getting trolled, then that is what they need to do.
“To play the way we want to play, to gain results, you need confidence. We can’t afford that to be hit.”
Wanderers had been three games unbeaten before Fleetwood, seemingly recovering their poise after a difficult October.
Evatt accepts criticism is an inevitable part of the game but has asked his players to review if they need to subject themselves to some of the more destructive comments.
“I don’t know if players are out there on social media all the time or not – I’m surmising because that is what younger people tend to do,” he said. “I know some have accounts, how active they are I am not sure.
“But I spoke to the players this morning. I am a religious man, I have strong faith, and Jesus was crucified on the Friday and then he was saviour and resurrected on the Sunday – and that is how changeable football can be.
“You can have a great game one week, then a few days later find you are back to zero from hero again.
“They have to keep focus and concentrate on their own jobs and if that means coming off social media and speaking to your loved ones and saying ‘I don’t want to hear what people are saying about me, negative, positive, or anything else’ then so be it.
“It is about being professional, looking after yourself and making sure you get the best out of your mental capacity. We can’t have their confidence affected.
“People are entitled to voice opinions and they are not all wrong, by the way. Nobody was more critical of myself, or the team, on Tuesday.
“Right now, we’ll have to take that on the chin and then work hard to progress.”
Evatt speaks from experience, having removed himself from Twitter a few years ago for his own wellbeing.
“It has an effect on your mental health,” he said. “It is all well and good when things are going well but when it isn’t, is that the true mark of a man? How do you handle adversity?
“Sometimes reading the stuff you get sent by the minority – and I must stress it is the minority – is damaging. But in football and the world in general that minority seems to have the loudest voice.
“You have to remove yourself from that situation and make sure you have the confidence and the capacity to do your job.”
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