Neil Lennon - Proof of how important the right manager is!

What a fantastic win again tonight, what a job Neil Lennon is doing with this very average bunch of players. 
For so many years Bolton fans have had to settle with a shit manager even when all the fans could see the manager was useless and not going to get any better - I am mainly referring to Owen Coyle and Dougie Freedman, who were kept on for far too long. Both should have been sacked a year earlier than what they did.
I am so impressed by Lennon, last 7 games, 4 wins, 3 draws, only conceding 3 goals, what a great job he is doing. 
For the first time since Big Sam left, I feel that Bolton have a top, top manager in charge, and in a league like this where there is not a huge difference in the quality of squads, it can make the difference.

Very true, Mich. Players are visibly lifting their games and working hard on the pitch. Long may it continue!

This season -

Freedman P11, W1, D2 L8 = 5pts - relegation form

Lennon P11, W6, D3, L2 = 21 Pts - automatic promotion form (ave of 2 pts per game)

With the same players more or less.

Big, BIG, difference!

Freedman was hopeless, which was a shame as he did do really well at Palace, I totally can see why Gartside went for him. But finally it seems like Gartside has got a young manager who is the real deal. But it may be very hard to keep him.

I know it's early days but at least there are far more positives than negatives. I still think the play-offs may be a step too far but it is certainly achievable going off current form.
The home game against Blackburn Rovers on Boxing day should be a right humdinger.

Michael Bolton wrote:Freedman was hopeless, which was a shame as he did do really well at Palace, I totally can see why Gartside went for him. But finally it seems like Gartside has got a young manager who is the real deal. But it may be very hard to keep him.

He didn't do that well though did he?

Crystal Palace manager - P 90 W32 D27 L31 
                                      W% 35.56

Bolton Wanderers manager - P 94 W33 D32 L29
                                           W% 35.11

Gartside was swayed by palaces good start to the season. They were sat in fourth place after a good run. It would be like judging dougie as being a good manager for Bolton on the run they had when they almost reached the playoffs. It just doesn't tell the whole story.

Freedman had a good eye for a player as did Megson, problem was their distinct lack of ability, Lennon sets them up to be hard to beat, and as such we have chipped away at the goals against column, and much of that is also down to Mjallby, we're very lucky to have them here.

Good to see Lennon on Football Focus talking us up. It's clear he thinks we can make the play-offs.

MartinBWFC wrote:Freedman had a good eye for a player as did Megson, problem was their distinct lack of ability, Lennon sets them up to be hard to beat, and as such we have chipped away at the goals against column, and much of that is also down to Mjallby, we're very lucky to have them here.

Agree with that.

MartinBWFC wrote:Freedman had a good eye for a player

Yes, Spearing, Medo & Beckford will go down as legends.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

MartinBWFC wrote:Freedman had a good eye for a player

Yes, Spearing, Medo & Beckford will go down as legends.

As will butterfield, de ridder and andy robinson

If we have a good Xmas points haul we will have the momentum for a play off push, especially if we can get a forward in during Jan.

All this play off talk is bollocks. We won't reach them, we aren't good enough to beat decent teams away from home... Next season however could be a different story

It is frightening how bad Spearing's form has been but if him and Medo can get their act together they can still play a big part for us second half of the season.

We will make the play offs and go up

Disagree with you on that Boggers, momentum and confidence are big factors in sport and we are on a roll, there aren't any standout teams in this division.

I agree Lennon looks like the real deal, if he replaces the injured creative players / scorers i think we have a shot BUT wind back to both Coyle and Freedman both did pretty well first year.

Coyle 8th in Prem and cup sem,i then the wheels fell off, Freedman missed the play off's by a goal ?

In saying that this guy as winner stamped all the way through. Lets see how he deals with the loss of Clayton and the Davies twins. Last night he put out a team lacking in some departments and they produced the goods.

Oh and all you Pratley knockers that was a decent finish last night, maybe he will return to his Swansea form NL obviously rates him.

IMO there are two key difference between Lennon and his predecessors:
1) Lennon is a good defensive organiser whereas defence was a secondary consideration for Coyle and Freedman both of whom suffered from conceding goals on the break and putting too much pressure on the back four who added to our troubles by making lots of mistakes under pressure. Being solid at the back is more than half the battle IMO and Lennon is the first manager in ages who has seen this as a priority. It shows as Lennon hasn't really done anything for us up front other than shuffle the strikers. But not conceding breeds confidence whereas the players confidence was shattered every week under the preceding managers.
2) Expectation management. The teams that Coyle and Freedman managed were "premiership quality" and expected to compete for promotion, fearing nobody in this division. All the pundits and most fans went on about "the quality in our squad". Conversely, the players that Lennon manages are useless dross that were propping up the table when he arrived and would be lucky not to get relegated. OK they are largely the same players - it's just that Lennon was brought in to save us from relegation whereas there were much higher expectations on Coyle and Freedman's heads.

I see Lennon's results so far more like proof how important it is to have great defensive organisation as a foundation for a team and proof of the value of not putting unrealistic expectations on the manager and players as there is no doubt it affects them.

Pratley and Lonergan definitely on the podium for the "Most Improved" award just now.

wanderlust wrote:

I see Lennon's results so far more like proof how important it is to have great defensive organisation as a foundation for a team and proof of the value of not putting unrealistic expectations on the manager and players as there is no doubt it affects them.

Not quite sure your argument stands up when Lennon publically said he had an eye on the play-offs before he'd even overseen one match.