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Ian Evatt has opened the door for Kieran Sadlier to show he can have a future with Wanderers.
After the former Doncaster Rovers man caught the eye in Saturday’s friendly win at non-league Bamber Bridge, Evatt has laid out exactly what he must do to return to grace.
Sadlier was displaced by a formation change at the start of last season and was eventually loaned out to Leyton Orient in January.
He has looked sharp since the Whites returned this summer, however, which led to questions on whether he could yet find a spot in the team under its current guise.
“We know what he can do,” Evatt said. “It is just about getting him in the right positions enough to have that impact.
“And, as I said, we just need that buy-in defensively. Let’s have it right, if we were playing 4-3-3 then Sads would be perfect for that system. But we don’t play 4-3-3 and we have had a lot of success with the shape we are playing right now. That doesn’t mean to say that Sads can’t fit into it, it just means to say he has to slightly adapt his own game to make sure he is doing the things we require him to do.”
Sadlier has 12 months left on his contract with Bolton but has been unable to hold down a regular place in the side, making just 15 of his 47 appearances in all competitions for the club from the start.
He featured prominently in Leyton Orient’s promotion from League Two and, says Evatt, has shown a positive attitude since his return.
“Sads has just got on with it, and that’s what he does,” explained the manager.
“He has been excellent in training, his fitness work is really high. He is always at the top of the running data, which is good. We know he has quality, particularly in the final third. He has great delivery. And he can score with either foot.
“What we require from him is the defensive side. To make sure you are combative, win duels, and when you have that defensive responsibility, to be there to do your job.
“He is a talented player, there is no denying that. And if he stays here then he will have an impact.”
Evatt believes there is enough flexibility in his team shape to accommodate Sadlier, be it as a wing-back or an attacking midfielder.
“Just because you start 3-5-2 doesn’t mean to say you stay 3-5-2 in-game,” he said.
“The way we build out sometimes, we do it as a four, so you have someone on the last line.
“There are ways we can adapt to fit Kieran into the system, but the out-of-possession stuff is something that is a non-negotiable and we just need to make sure he is buying into that and doing everything the team requires him to do.”
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