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Ian Evatt would love to cause a “huge shock” and knock his old mate Rob Edwards out of the FA Cup.
The Wanderers boss begins preparations for this Sunday’s FA Cup third round meeting with Luton Town this morning after giving his players some time to recharge their batteries at the start of the week.
Luton have already proved that they are not prepared to simply enjoy the view since being promoted to the Premier League, and have already beaten Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Everton and Sheffield United to give themselves a fighting chance of staying up.
A fight is exactly what Evatt expects from the Hatters, managed by his former Blackpool team-mate Rob Edwards, and the Bolton knows his team will have to be at their very best to stand any chance of taking a result from Kenilworth Road.
“The game hasn’t got the same sort of pressure at the league but you know me well enough now to know I want us to be competitive anywhere we go, I try to win football matches. I want to cause a huge shock,” he told The Bolton News.
“I am looking forward to the challenge. And as a challenge goes, the way they play, how athletic they are, how dominant and physical they are, it will be a really strong test for us on a tight pitch and stadium. But I am looking forward to seeing how we do.”
Wanderers go to Luton in good form and were one of only two EFL clubs to win all four of their festive fixtures, the other being League Two Tranmere Rovers.
Having ordered his players to rest up for a few days since the win against Burton, Evatt believes the week ahead will be a big test of his resources as a Bristol Street Motors Trophy game against Accrington Stanley is followed quickly by another League One game at home to Cheltenham Town.
“There’s no let up,” he said. “We have the Accrington game, which of course we have good memories there and want to do well again in that competition, and then it is soon back into the league.
“It is non-stop, it goes by quickly, but we don’t want time to pass us by, we want to be working hard and improving. We want to go well in the league because that is something we pride ourselves on but I honestly believe in these players and their ability to compete on all fronts.”
Though Wanderers’ next two cup games are on the road, Evatt has called on the fans to give his players the biggest lift they possibly can when they return to the Toughsheet in just over a week’s time.
Cheltenham will be hoping to take advantage of Bolton’s weariness but supporters are being urged to do their bit.
“We are in a good place and space, we really are,” he said. “The players have responded well to some big questions once again.
“It is going to continue to happen this way. There will be poor performances and we will drop some points along the way but it is all about that response, and I think we have seen with the results over the festive period that we have picked ourselves back up again.
“We have to get this place (the Toughsheet) rocking, we really do. Sometimes it is down to the players to lift the fans and sometimes it is vice versa.
“Everyone has a part to play if we are going to be successful and we need absolutely everybody on board, that includes every season ticket holder, everyone who buys a ticket to come into the stadium. We need them all.”
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