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Ricardo Santos has pledged to do everything he can to fix Wanderers’ early season problems, starting with a long look in the mirror.
One league win in four before the international break means a long time to spent starring at a league table which makes depressing reading for a club who had designs on an automatic promotion challenge this season.
Defeat against Exeter City leaves the Whites 18th and the poor start has prompted a frustrated fanbase to ask exactly what needs to change in order to get things back on track.
Santos is well aware that his own performances have come under scrutiny, just as they did at the end of last season, which culminated in a disastrous display at Wembley in the play-off final.
The captain’s armband can feel a little heavier in tough times like these but the defender accepts he must lead by example in the next couple of weeks if fortunes are going to improve.
“It is a big responsibility,” he told The Bolton News. “Everyone looks at me first, which is only right.
“I have told the guys that we all have to look at ourselves individually now, what can we improve on, and that starts with me as well.
“We have to stick together as a group, we can’t let that change, but I think there is too much talent to be where we are. Once we click, I still think we will be a dangerous side.”
Santos finished last season in pain, a tear in his calf muscle refusing to clear in the final few months and forcing him to play way below his best.
Though votes from his peers still secured him a third consecutive spot in the League One team of the year, he accepts the second half of the campaign was way below the standards he has set for himself in four years at Bolton.
“Last season was a killer for me, I had a calf problem for about three months, I was getting injections before every game,” he said.
“I did everything I could but obviously it is not ideal to play with injuries.
“I will say I am past that now, I feel like I am fully over it, so touch wood I don’t get any more injuries and I can kick on.”
Since returning in pre-season Santos has looked lighter on his feet, albeit he accepts he is yet to hit top form again. Physically, however, the 29-year-old feels much better than he did a few months ago, and that gives him hope that he can help to change things on the pitch, starting with tonight’s Bristol Street Motors Trophy game against Barrow.
“Honestly, I feel good,” he said. “I am probably the best I have felt since being at the club.
“I have got my nutrition right, I am in the gym more, I am trying to work harder. I have come from nothing, I know that, but every time I play, I’m trying to give my all.
“I know at times I am not the best, but I am an honest guy, when I haven’t been the best I’ll say it.
“I will always try and be the best, but I just want to help the team.”
Santos remains a big influence on the squad, even if some of his team-mates are now more demonstrative. The likes of Chris Forino, George Thomason and Vic Adeboyejo have noticeably been more vocal, and the skipper feels that will be a positive thing for the team.
“I am not on my own doing that,” he said. “I think last season the changing room was quiet. There were leaders, individually, but maybe we needed to express ourselves more. I know I could have done a lot more.
“I’ll say this season there have been more people trying to lead, different people, and they get everyone together.
“It’s crazy to say because this hasn’t been the best start but once it does click then I think we will be okay. We have to keep working hard and it will come.
“The good thing is that we’re four games in, this isn’t the last four games where we’d go away and feel let down. We have time to put it right now.
“We can work on things, work on ourselves individually. That is first thing and the most important thing, all of us look at what we can do better. We can’t go around blaming other people when we can do better, including myself.
“The international break has come at a good time. We can reset and start again.”
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