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George Johnston can shoulder the weight of covering for injured club skipper Ricardo Santos in the League One run-in, says Ian Evatt.
Wanderers have turned to the former Liverpool defender to play a key central role in the back three after his own well-timed return from ankle ligament damage.
Santos and Eoin Toal have both been side-lined since the Wembley triumph against Plymouth Argyle and Evatt has hinted that more of his first teamers will also be unavailable at Oxford United this afternoon.
But the Bolton boss says he can depend on Johnston, who has been one of Wanderers’ most consistent performers this term.
“He has had a fantastic season and we missed him dearly when he was out – but other people had to step up,” he told The Bolton News.
“George is a player who is developing all the time. His improvement has been superb this season.
“Aesthetically, his game is completely different to Rico. He has different strengths and weaknesses.
“But he has learned about those strengths and weaknesses, when he can win it, when he can’t, when he needs to play light with centre-forwards, his reading of the game, his distribution has improved. All of those things are developing and improving.
“He is becoming a better player and an asset for this football club, so credit to him.
“People like George and Gethin (Jones) are leaders within this group at the moment, they need to step up and guide everyone else.”
Santos and Gethin Jones have been put at the head of Evatt’s ‘leadership team’ within the dressing room but Johnston is now starting to show signs that he will soon be just as influential.
After winning young player of the year in 2021/22, the centre-half has stepped up this season and while he still has the reputation of one of the dressing room’s pranksters, is maturing into a dependable option for the club.
“He is quite mature – and he can be a fool too,” Evatt smiled. “But everyone has a different way to be a leader, you just have to find your niche.
“Rico is not necessarily a natural leader but he is developing and finding his way.
“George will do the same. And if you are a very good footballer and act professionally on and off the pitch then you automatically gain people’s respect. He has that.
“Then you find a voice and demand from others, and that is something George is learning now himself. I am definitely seeing an improvement this year.”
Evatt wanted to keep a lid on which of the players who faced Cambridge United on Monday would be unavailable at the Kassam Stadium but hinted that there would be enforced changes to the team.
“Everyone wants to be involved in pressure games, in games with high stakes, well, now they will have that opportunity,” he added.
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