Home
Wanderers go into the January transfer window knowing Championship eyes are on their top talents – but Ian Evatt insists the club should not be “afraid” of what is in store.
Scouts from Swansea City and Hull City were among those watching Friday night’s impressive 2-0 win at a stormy Fleetwood, with some sources suggesting they were checking on top-scorer, Dion Charles.
Evatt has planned for every outcome in the coming weeks and believes his club will be able to resists all but the most outlandish bids for the players who have kept them on course for automatic promotion in League One.
Asked about the eyes on 16-goal top-scorer Charles, the Bolton boss answered: “Yeah, good luck with that!
“We are extremely ambitious, and we know to achieve those ambitions we have to keep our best players.
“Listen, if someone comes and offers us a fortune, we will always try and make the best decision for Bolton Wanderers, that is just how we are. Player trading is a huge part of football.
“But we are not afraid in any way of that. We are well-prepared, we know what we need to do, we know the squad we have is strong, and we are striving for more improvement.”
Charles was linked with Watford and Stoke City in the summer but signed a new deal at the Toughsheet in August which ties him to Bolton until 2026.
He has scored 27 goals during the course of 2023 – the best return since the great John McGinlay, who managed 31 in 1994 and 28 a year earlier.
Evatt remains confident the Northern Ireland international can improve further in a squad which is now starting to realise its potential.
“Dion is a top player for this level,” he said. “He is learning more about his game, to do other things and not be one dimensional. He is so robust, keeps ticking off the minutes, ticking off the games.
“George Thomason is the same – the way they look after themselves, they are relentless.
“Being a manager the most important thing with any of your players is a consistency of performance and behaviour. I think we are getting that from a lot of the squad now.”
Wanderers host Burton this afternoon hoping to make it four out of four over the festive period.
Asked what he wanted to see on Monday, Evatt added: “I would like this storm to bugger off!
“It is very challenging to play football in this weather. But in this block of fixtures we have one more game before we have a little bit of time to enjoy the FA Cup and hopefully go to a Premier League team and enjoy the experience.
“We have one more game to win, and we are fully focussed.
“Santa has been good to me this year. I have been a very good boy!
“It is hard work – and for clubs of our size and stature it is just so important when you have a bit of adversity or a negative result or two that you just stick together as a whole club.
“We have been disappointed with the five defeats we have had this season but that doesn’t mean to say we can internally combust. We need to stay strong, support the players, support each other.
“The fans have been amazing but what will define our season is how we continue to deal with the negatives, not necessarily games like that (Fleetwood).
“I believe in this squad of players, I believe we can do what we want to do. Everyone has to do that now.”
Source