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Luke Southwood is eager to learn as he adapts to Wanderers’ style of play following his summer move.
The goalkeeper made his first appearance in a Bolton shirt against Stoke City last week after recovering from a fractured fibula.
It was a baptism of fire against Championship opposition but Southwood gave a good account of himself, making a smart stop to deny Emre Tezgel in the second half.
He also got 90 minutes under his belt for the B Team against the Potters’ youth team, building up sharpness ahead of the new campaign.
The 26-year-old admits the Whites’ style is different to what he was used to at Cheltenham last term but believes his skill set meshes well with Ian Evatt’s approach.
“The way they are doing it here is obviously very different to the way I was doing it last season,” he told The Bolton News.
“But to be fair, growing up it was probably one of my strengths and something I have really loved doing.
“Every team does it differently, has different patterns, where they want me in relation to the centre-backs and everyone else.
“I am going to have to learn quickly, watch things and pick it up as I go along. But it is one of the parts of the game that I enjoy doing the most.
“There were parts of the game where I wasn’t quite sure where I was meant to go, which side of the defenders they wanted me, but that’s part of it all now.
“I will come in, watch the meetings, and I love learning, I can’t wait to take it all in my stride.”
Nathan Baxter had to make similar adjustments last summer after arriving on a free transfer from Chelsea and went on to enjoy an impressive campaign in League One.
“It is about building relationships with the people in front of you as well. I need to know what Rico is going to do or Eoin, Chris, Jonno, whoever is there,” Southwood continued.
“You make those relationships so that they know where I am going to be as well.
“It makes the job a lot easier for us and makes it harder for the opposition to find gaps and ultimately play forward.”
The shot stopper arrived at the Toughsheet Community Stadium after the play-off final defeat against Oxford at Wembley.
Southwood insists the group is “hungry” heading into the new season as they aim to go one step further.
When asked if Wanderers have a ‘point to prove’, he replied: “It is quite hard for me to comment because I didn’t quite know what the mood was like before to compare it, but all I can say is that this is a hungry group.
“I don’t know whether the motivation is to prove people wrong about last season or just go one better, but I know that every day you are seeing people wanting to improve.
“If things are not right in training we are demanding more from each other, so I can’t be any more positive about it, really, it’s a group that really wants to get better and that’s all I have seen.”
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