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Wanderers have little wiggle room left in their schedule as they continue to fight on three fronts – but Ian Evatt won’t be overcompensating in the transfer market this month.
With only a few midweek slots free before the end of the season – one of which would be used up if Bolton manage to find a way past Premier League Luton Town in the FA Cup on Tuesday night – the strain on squad resources promises to be greater than ever before.
The Whites progressed to the last eight of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy with victory against Accrington and take on Cheltenham Town this weekend placed second in the table, with two games to make up on leaders Portsmouth.
Evatt is confident, however, that unless serious injury misfortune strikes, the quality-over-quantity approach he is taking to the January window will be the correct course.
“We have had some progress on the one or two moves we want to make,” he told The Bolton News. “And there are contingency plans in place should anything untoward happen before the end of the month.
“I understand supporters want to see signings and this is probably the first January window where we have done very little. But I am happy with that. It is a hard month to recruit and find value.
“Every fan wants to see 30 brilliant players and 30 brilliant options in the squad but they are not the ones who have to keep them happy, give them the minutes they need, make sure the environment is balanced.
“Everyone must feel a part of it and as I have said loads of times the 11 is easy to keep happy. It is the ones who are not playing every week who you need to keep bought in to the bigger picture and right now I think we have that balance right. We have to be really careful that we don’t upset that equilibrium.”
Wanderers will continue to rotate their players for the visit of Cheltenham, who have improved their form under new manager Darrel Clarke, and then look ahead to Luton’s visit.
Evatt refuses to surrender progression in any competition and believes his players are also willing to push themselves hard to get results in league and cup.
An international break at the end of March could also throw up another rescheduled fixture but the Bolton boss says he is fully aware of the challenges that lie ahead.
“We have obviously looked at it, because you have to make plans, and time is limited, of course,” he said.
“I would much rather have it this way and we are extremely fortunate to be where we are, grateful for it. We have worked hard to be in this position and we won’t be giving it up lightly.
“There is no arrogance, nobody is counting their chickens. We know the next game that comes up every week is the biggest game, then the next one, then the next.
“We talk to the players about how we want to be viewed, right now and in the future, and one of those things is gutsy. We want to be a side who can tough it out.
“I want us to be aesthetically pleasing, play the sort of football I like us to play, but when you need to tough it out, you have to know how to do it.
“Most of us have been brought up in a working class environment, I certainly was. And growing up I was taught by my parents and grandparents that anything good in life you have to earn. Nothing worth having comes easy and for free.
“So, we are going to have to earn it. And we’re willing to do it.”
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