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Ian Evatt has promised frustrated Wanderers fans that things will improve once he has strengthened his squad in the January window.
Tensions are rising at the UniBol after Tuesday night’s defeat against Wycombe left the Whites dangling just three points above the bottom four, with the visit of Ipswich Town to come this weekend.
Some supporters have started to talk of a relegation battle – but Evatt has appealed for patience as he assembles a new look team in the coming weeks that he feels can climb the table again.
“Of course they (fans) will get concerned, and they have every right,” he told The Bolton News. “But there are 22 games left and that’s a lot of points to play for.
“We’re not in the bottom four. It would be a lot worse if we were one of the teams in there.
“I have to say the support (against Wycombe) was fantastic and I thought the fans really backed the players. I can sense that they know we’re a team in transition and what we’re trying to do and build for the future.
“But that will only get us so far. We have to start getting bums out of seats and getting results and hopefully that’ll start on Saturday.”
One part of the side destined to get a new look is the right flank, where Gethin Jones and Marlon Fossey are likely to link-up for the time being.
Jones, back from injury, is set to start at full-back on Saturday against Ipswich with Fossey pushed forward to the right wing.
“I think at the moment they both need to be in the team because they give us energy, they give us some pace, they give us some intensity,” Evatt said. “I thought in the second half in particular they linked up really well (against Wycombe).
“When you have the athleticism that they both have, you are going to cause teams problems and I thought they combined and worked together really well.”
Evatt has made no secret of his own ambition this season but the promotion push he targeted at the start of the season currently looks a long way in the distance.
He admits depth has been lacking in certain areas of his squad but intends to address the problems in the transfer window, after which he believes his team can be better judged.
“Frustration is understandable, but things will improve,” he said. “That is the thing we all have to understand – and I am the worst, I want success right here, right now.
“I have had back-to-back promotions and I want another one. That is the kind of guy I am.
“But, realistically, we are in a transitional period and we are almost a window or two behind where we need to be.
“We recruited the squad capable of getting out of League Two and at the moment I think we have a competitive 14 or 15 but it really does need layering to add more competitiveness. “When you get the injuries we have it shows the level really drops off and we’re relying on players who are not really ready for the level, especially when it is Bolton Wanderers who want to get out of League One.
“It is about layering competition so that there isn’t the same sort of drop-offs that we have seen. They have been too big and we have been very unlucky with injuries.
“We always look at things we do at training or off the field to see if we can affect them but a lot of those injuries have been long-term and we could never have affected them.
“The facts are we’re going through a transitional period and it is frustrating for everyone involved. But we know what we need to do, the board know what we need as well and I’ll say again that together we’ll do it.”
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