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Ian Evatt has explained why a centre-back is no longer on his shopping list in the January transfer window.
The Wanderers boss landed two wing-backs on loan in the last few days – bringing in Nat Ogbeta from Swansea City and Calvin Ramsay from Liverpool.
Cover at centre-back has been light on the ground of late, with Will Forrester picking up a hamstring injury a fortnight ago, Gethin Jones away on international duty with Australia and George Johnston unlikely to feature this season after knee surgery.
Evatt has confirmed that both Ogbeta and Ramsay have been signed as right and left wing-backs, respectively, but he believes that Josh Dacres-Cogley’s versatility ensures that he still has options until Forrester and Jones return.
“I would think both Nat and Calvin are out-and-out wing-backs but obviously we have Josh who can play as an outside centre-back, and that is the thinking now,” he told The Bolton News. “Me and Chris (Markham) had a lot of conversations behind the scenes about how we configure the squad.
“We saw we were light at centre-back but we felt with Cogs, Will Forrester not too far away and Geth due back from the Asian Cup in the not too distant future, that will give us enough cover and we can utilise what I felt was the best player available to us in Calvin.”
Ramsay has arrived to rivals Dacres-Cogley for a starting spot on the right flank, following a loan at Preston which was wrecked by illness and injury.
The Scotland international is confident he can get back to top form with regular football but in order for that to become a reality, Evatt will have to rotate one of the mainstays of his first team so far this season.
“Calvin’s mindset is that he wants to go somewhere that he can get some confidence in his performance and in his body,” he said. “But he knows it is a challenge to play and get in our team.
“Josh has done incredibly well. He has probably played too much, being honest, and we have run the gauntlet a bit with him because we haven’t had the opportunity to rotate and change. He has been so consistent and robust, it is great we will be able to utilise Calvin when Josh is feeling a bit tired and low.
“We can pick horses for courses, so to speak. I am delighted to have him and Nathanael because they are both very bright prospects.”
Evatt was also happy to report that Gethin Jones will continue his Asian Cup campaign with Australia despite being taken for scans on a potential groin injury following their last 16 victory against Indonesia.
“It has cleared up,” he added. “Gethin messaged me immediately and they took him for a scan, it came back completely clear. It was more or less a fatigue injury.
“That is good news and he will be hoping to recover in time to play South Korea or Saudi Arabia on Friday.”
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