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Conor Bradley has been backed to use his season on loan at Wanderers as a springboard to a glittering Premier League career.
Ian Evatt has tried hard not to over-hype the Liverpool loanee since he arrived at the University of Bolton Stadium but a string a fine performances – the latest of which included a third goal of the season in Saturday’s 3-1 win against Charlton – forced the Bolton boss to tip his hat in acknowledgement.
Bradley had already sampled top class football with the Reds, even getting a cameo in a Champions League win against AC Milan at the San Siro.
But Evatt believes that if the teenager continues to work hard at his game, he will return to Anfield capable of handling plenty more big occasions.
“I don’t really want to build him up to fail,” shrugged Evatt. “But I think he’s a top, top player and he has the attributes, and more importantly, the mindset, mentality and attitude to go right to the very top.
“There is a long way to go for him and it is tough up there, competitive up there, but the attitude he has, the kind of kid he is, the family he has behind him, he has a real opportunity.”
Wanderers initially tried to sign Bradley on loan in January and have since built a good relationship with Liverpool which has also enabled them to bring in Wales Under-21 international Owen Beck.
Evatt maintains that bringing young loanees from the Premier League is not a guarantee of success, and with Bradley, Beck and Manchester City’s James Trafford the deal was only struck with their parent club after a lot of homework on both sides of the deal.
“I think there comes to a stage where you’ll outgrow under-23s and academy football and then it’s about the right selection and the right club,” said the Bolton boss. “You have to find the right fit to go and play games.
“Owen and Conor are absolutely right for us because of how they are coached, what they are, how they play and how we play.
“It is tough finding them and that sounds crazy.
“But to find the right fit technically, tactically, physically, mentally, culturally out of these big Cat One teams is tough.
“One thing I must say Liverpool do is they keep their players humble, hungry and hardworking and we have got two little gems with us for now and we must enjoy them while they are here.
“James (Trafford) is doing great from Man City as well. If we can utilise our contacts and connections with those clubs, then why not?”
Wanderers have also picked up an unexpected bonus with Bradley’s arrival, with the youngster getting himself forward to score and create plenty of goals thus far.
“That’s how we play with wing-backs and we ask a lot of them,” Evatt said. “It is so physically challenging to defend, to attack, to defend, to attack, it’s just repetitive runs, repetitive sprinting and it’s physically demanding.
“Jack Iredale getting up to speed with it now, Conor naturally does it but he had the whole of pre-season with us, so it’s tough but there are rewards at the end of it.”
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