Home
Despite narrowly missing out on a return to Wembley in the play-offs, Ian Evatt is confident that bright times are ahead for Wanderers.
Evatt guided the club to a fifth-place finish in League One this season and won the Papa Johns Trophy following a memorable 4-0 victory against Plymouth.
The Bolton boss is already planning on how his side can improve next season as they aim to keep climbing back up the divisions.
He believes the club has “found its heartbeat again” after going through some dark times on and off the pitch.
“There will be no time off for me,” the manager explained. “This eats me up, it is who I am, I just want us to be better.
“I am so excited for the future. There is loads to come from this football club.
“It has found its heartbeat again and I am immensely proud to be its manager. And while I am its manager, I will be taking it as far as I possibly can.”
The Bolton squad has evolved again over the past 12 months, with the likes of Jack Iredale and Eoin Toal arriving in the summer while Victor Adeboyejo and Randell Williams were January additions.
Evatt admits there is a sense of frustration in the dressing room after failing to show what they are capable of during the two legs against Barnsley.
Heading into the summer break, the boss insists there has to be a “hunger” in the group to keep improving.
“That works starts now. It has already started, in fact. It is a really tough thing to be what we want to be – the best against the ball and the best with it too,” he added.
“It is elite level, hard stuff to coach and hard stuff for League One players to get on board with really.
“But they love it, they enjoy what we do. They are disappointed because they know we are better than that.
“There has to be a hunger and a drive to be better again now and that is all I see through anyone at this club. People involved, we are delighted to be progressing but we are hungry for more as well.”
The standard of League One has been particularly high over the past couple of seasons and it remains to be seen whether that trend will continue next term.
Wigan, Blackpool and Reading will all be playing in the third tier next season after suffering relegation from the Championship.
Meanwhile, Leyton Orient, Stevenage and Northampton have automatic promotion from League Two. They will be joined by either Carlisle or Stockport, who face off in the play-off final at Wembley on Sunday, May 28.
Source