BWFC People
Bolton Head South after Sinking the Swans
Sunday, January 29th, 2012 | BWFC Goals, BWFC People, Chris Eagles, Darren Pratley | No Comments
Bolton Wanderers face an away tie at Millwall or Southampton after disposing of fellow Premier League Swansea City. Azreal reports from the Reebok.
Bolton knocked Swansea out of the FA Cup to progress to the 5th round on Saturday. It was a deserved win for the Whites, but far from plain sailing. Goals from Daren Pratley and Chris Eagles secured the win for Bolton, after Luke Moore had given Swansea an undeserved lead.
Luke Moore. Won't be looking quite so bloody smug now. Photo ©Getty Images
Bolton started brightly, with Eagles offering the most consistent threat – combining well down the right with Joe Riley, whose swashbuckling runs were dangerous all game. Swansea played a second-string, and it showed from the offing. Eagles is never shy about getting at his fullback, and he clearly meant business whenever he got the ball. However, Eagles love of a shot is not best served on the right of midfield and his attempts to cut in onto his left usually ended in pitiful efforts on goal.
It was from a set-piece that Eagles offered his first moment of creativity, but his ball into the box was headed right at the ‘keeper. Next, Eagles cut inside for another left-footed effort, and having had a few sighters the crowd expected him to worry the goalie – he instead worried the corner flag. Chris isn’t a player who lacks confidence though, and he continued to try and make things happen, winning a corner shortly after. The ball was swung in by Martin Petrov and, as the second ball dropped, Swansea were forced to throw bodies in the way to block a shot.
Wanderers were dominating the game, yet it was a subdued performance from Bolton’s central midfielders. Darren Pratley is still finding his feet at the club, and his advanced position meant Mark Davies had to play a deeper role. Davies is at his best pushing up and looking to link play and, in trying to incorporate Pratley, Wanderers lost some of their recent rhythm. Nevertheless, Swansea’s distinct lack of bite and energy in the middle meant the Whites remained comfortable for most of the game; and getting Pratley up to speed could prove vital for Bolton in the run in. › Continue reading
Gary Megson: Phil Gartside Told Me to Get Out of Europe
Thursday, January 26th, 2012 | BWFC News, BWFC People, Phil Gartside | 3 Comments
We’ve heard some strange claims from Gary Megson in the past, but his most recent interview has the potential to be seriously explosive. Megson claims that, whilst manager of Bolton, the club’s chairman Phil Gartside “ordered” him to lose a UEFA Cup game and send Bolton crashing out of the competition.
Phil Gartside. Is that a smile or a maniacal laugh?
Many Bolton fans have issues with Gartside, but actively telling a manager to throw a game is something that even critics of the chairman will find hard to believe. Gartside has spoken on ‘Twitter’, rubbishing Megson’s story. In response to my ‘tweet’ reading “Megson claims “ordered” to lose in UEFA. You couldn’t make it up”, Gartside said “your (sic) right you couldn’t make it up but somebody has.” In response to another message, a clearly angered Gartside said “can’t believe he’s said that”.
The Bolton News has reported on the comments from the ex Bolton boss, and says that the club will not be commenting officially. Whilst you can understand the club’s position, this could well be a mistake; with many fans already demanding the chairman respond.
Gartside was accused of a “lack of ambition” by Sam Allardyce, in an interview given to the Telegraph’s Jeremy Wilson in August 2011, in which ‘Big Sam’ claimed the Bolton hierarchy “didn’t want” Champions League football. Megson is sowing seeds of discord in fertile ground and the club really needs to formally respond.
- Azreal88
Welcome Back Bolton Wanderers. We’ve Missed You
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 | BWFC News, David Ngog, Mark Davies, Nigel Reo Coker | 3 Comments
Once upon a long time ago, Bolton Wanderers were a team that no one liked to play. Sam Allardyce set his side up in such a way that it stifled opposition, that on paper should have been superior.
Members of the media, most of whom can’t think for themselves, may have dubbed it ‘not for the purist’, but Whites fans took pleasure in the reputation – and the results.
There might be a few more of these sold now.
All that ended with the arrival of Gary Megson. The Ginger One won one, drew one and lost all the rest, against the then big four. In the 2008-9 season, he managed one point from 42 against teams that finished in the top seven.
Some will argue that points have the same value, whether they’re achieved at the expense of title contenders, or relegation fodder. That may be mathematically correct, but it overlooks the morale boost that lesser teams get from turning over the big boys, for sport is about nothing, if not glory.
One of the criticisms levelled at Owen Coyle was that he had failed to arrest that losing trend, bar one late season win against an already demoralised Arsenal. After the way Liverpool were swept aside at the Reebok on Saturday, there is one charge less facing the man from Paisley.
A sober analysis might include the arguments that Liverpool, without Uruguay’s favourite racist are an ordinary side and that Kenny Dalglish inherited a squad some way short of Champions League potential that a summer spending spree has failed to improve. Then there’s Steven Gerrard, who has yet to regain much of his usual game, apart from whining and bitching to the match officials.
But sod that. The men in white were fully deserving of their victory and it should be celebrated. Underpinning a collective effort stuffed with commitment and fighting spirit were several worthy performances.
Adam Bogdan put his Chelsea nightmare behind with a solid display of maturity. The Hungarian international wasn’t called upon to perform heroics, but he handled his routine tasks well, some of which could have gone horribly wrong.
It has been suggested that he might have come off his line more quickly in order to prevent Craig Bellamy scoring, but such a view assumes that Bogdan can move at roughly twice the speed of Usain Bolt.
At the other end of the pitch, David N’Gog continued to progress in his role of lone front man, holding up the ball well and showing some clever touches. The Frenchman isn’t a natural goal scorer, but that will matter less if he can play in advancing midfielders as he did for Bolton’s opener.
Nigel Reo Coker has been criticised this season, not least on these pages. He still lacks an astuteness in reading the game, but starting with the away victory at Blackburn the former West Ham and Aston Villa midfielder has played a leader’s role and exhibited the combative qualities that made Coyle give him a contract in the first place.
Game sorted. Now to do something about that hair cut.
However the stand out performer, not for the first time of late, was Mark Davies, who is at last realising his potential. Gone, is the tendency to drift in and out of games and his tackling and tracking back have improved beyond measure.
Mini Davo’s attacking abilities have never been in doubt, but he seems lighter, fitter and faster and is starting to enjoy his first injury free season in years. We’ll pause for a bit there, while readers find a piece of wood to touch.
Can Bolton maintain the improvement, that started at Ewood Park and has continued since? (although not without a hiccups or two) If so, then relegation which seemed a certainty a few weeks ago, may yet be avoided.
There are difficult games still to come, but the end of season run in, seems kind compared to the other drop zone contenders. If it’s really the hope that kills you, then Wanderers fans are once more in grave danger. No, that wasn’t a pun. Honest.
- Richard McCormick
Champions League Liverpool? You’re Having a Laugh!
Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 | BWFC Goals, BWFC News, David Ngog, Mark Davies, Nigel Reo Coker, Premier League | 9 Comments
Saturday saw a blustery evening at the Reebok, but it wasn’t the wind that blew Liverpool away. A new year has, it seems, brought a new Bolton Wanderers with it. A battling, energetic and imaginative display saw The Whites put three past the visitors and take three points off the Merseysiders for the first time since 2006 – when goals from Ivan Campo and Gary Speed put The Reds to the sword. It had been a long time coming, but this game was worth the wait.
Kenny Dalglish waves goodbye to the chance of a top four finish.
At first, it looked as though Bolton were going to make a slow start. Liverpool seemed relaxed and confident, whilst the men in white seemed nervous and gave the ball away far too easily. Liverpool’s dominance lasted all of 3 minutes, and then Wanderers took control of the game. Fabrice Muamba, whose new-found on-the-ball composure has been welcomed by all Bolton fans, fed a short ball to the feet of David N’Gog. N’Gog’s ability with his back to goal is starting to become telling, and his deft flick, whilst holding off the challenge of Martin Skrtle, gave Mark Davies licence to run. As Davies carried the ball forward N’Gog was off and running, forcing Agger to go with him with him and opening-up space in the heart of the Liverpool defence. With Skirtle lumbering in his wake and Agger on the back foot, Davies took full advantage with a trademark ‘jinky’ run giving him a sight of goal. Owen Coyle made comments in the press recently, in which he called on Davies to add goals to his game; Mark was clearly listening. A beautifully placed finish from the midfielder gave Wanderers the lead and sent the Reebok faithful into raptures.
Liverpool were visibly shocked, as were most Bolton fans to be honest, but Wanderers immediately set out to show the early goal was no fluke. Chris Eagles, who had a dreadful time against Utd at Old Trafford, looked like a man with a point to prove, and it was he who would worry Liverpool next. Eagles won the ball from Jose Enrique and set-off in determined fashion. Eagles would trouble Enrique all game with his energy and willingness to run with the ball, and he skipped away from the former Spain U21 international before drilling a shot across the face of goal. If Liverpool fans had seen the first goal as a freak, Eagles’ effort may have knocked them down a peg or two – if nothing else, it shut the usually boisterous Liverpudlian away fans up for some time. Maxi Rodriguez almost gave Liverpool something to sing about, as he got in behind from a long punt by Pepe Reina. It really should have been 1-1, but Maxi somehow contrived to ‘miscontrol’ the ball and then handle, earning Wanderers a freekick. It was a let-off for Wanderers and should have been a wake-up call for a defence playing a high line. › Continue reading
Bolton’s Young Guns Outshine the Old Hands
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 | Academy, Adam Blakeman, Andy Kellett, BWFC People, Jay Linch, Michael O'Halloran | 1 Comment
Bolton Reserves 1 Liverpool Reserves 1. Azreal88 reports from Leyland.
Monday night saw Bolton reserves host Liverpool at the Leyland ground, in a game with Jekyll and Hyde performances from both teams. Wanderers put out a side containing some experienced players who, you’d presume, were looking to impress Wanderers staff enough to warrant first team selection; it didn’t work out that way. In good playing conditions, it was two of Bolton’s ‘bright young things’ who impressed, with largely disappointing displays from their senior teammates.
Andy Kellett Goes one on one with Nathan Eccleston
Wanderers lined-up in a nominal 4-4-2 formation, with Tuncay and Blake apparently given a degree of freedom to roam. It was refreshing to watch two sides who clearly wanted to play football, both passing forward from the back and showing decent movement in midfield. Liverpool’s 4-5-1, switching to 4-3-3 at times, allowed for some lovely interchange in possession and forced Wanderers to stay compact for periods of the game.
A worrying early error from Dedryck Boyata, turning out at centre half for this one, was a sign of things to come. Boyata looked to put pressure on the ball near the halfway line, but instead saw the ball simply knocked past him and his man skip away from him and set off down field. It was the first of several embarrassing moments for Boyata, who seemed intent upon underestimating the pace and skill of Liverpool’s youngsters; it was largely a night to forget for the big defender, who is on loan from Man City. › Continue reading
The Year of the Un-Coyled: Part Two
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 | BWFC News, BWFC People, Gary Cahill, Kevin Davies, Owen Coyle | 2 Comments
The new season beckons. Excitement mounts. Yeah right…
Comings and Goings
The summer transfer market was slow, with attempts to offload Gary Cahill for a handsome fee meeting with failure. The desire to get rid couldn’t have been more obvious if a small ad had been placed in the classifieds.
‘For Sale : Top class international defender. Two careful owners. All offers considered.’
For sale to a good home. Or any home, in exchange of a big sack of cash.
The bid from Arsenal was derisory and caused tension between the two clubs, while ‘Arry Redknapp, true to character, made enquiries a few minutes before the end of the window. The behaviour of the interested clubs was disrespectful to Bolton and to Cahill, who it should be noted, has behaved impeccably. He will move to Chelsea later this month with the best wishes of Whites fans.
Ali Al-Habsi was sold to Wigan, Matt Taylor to West Ham and Danny Ward to Huddersfield to give Coyle some working capital. Eight new players were brought in, some on loan. None of them can be considered an unqualified success. Note the polite phrasing of that last sentence.
Pre-season was overshadowed by the broken leg sustained by Lee Chung-Yong in a friendly at Newport County. When top flight sides play such fixtures against non league opposition there’s a tacit agreement that it won’t be an eyeballs out affair. A shame that no one told Tom Miller. Or maybe they did and he’s a psychopath.
The First False Dawn
Whatever confidence there was evaporated when the fixture list for 2011-12 was published. Five of the leading clubs were to be faced early on. QPR imploded in the first game of the season giving the Wanderers an easy 4-0 triumph and a creditable loss against Manchester City took place a week after.
Then it was downhill accelerating, with feeble performances against Liverpool, Manchester United, Norwich, Arsenal and Chelsea. The worst fears had been realised. › Continue reading
Bolton Wanderers 2011 – The Year of the Un-Coyled
Sunday, January 1st, 2012 | BWFC Goals, BWFC People, Lee Chung-Yong, Nat Lofthouse, Phil Gartside | 3 Comments
And so 2011 ends. A year in which Bolton started in sixth position in the Premier League, and finished in bottom place, needing close to a miracle to avoid relegation.
Mark Davies gets to grips with his defensive duties.
The last game, a home draw against fellow strugglers Wolves has aroused much anger, but there were signs of things on which to build. Owen Coyle’s side moved the ball around well at times and in recent outings Mark Davies has at last started to fulfil his potential as a creative midfielder, as well as improving his tracking back and tackling.
But the same defensive frailties remain and there is a lack of fire power up front, to which David N’Gog isn’t the answer, despite his other qualities. Even if the Wanderers put a consistent run of results together, there may simply be too much to do.
Off the field, things have been at least as bad. Burnden Leisure PLC, the parent company of Bolton Wanderers announced losses of £26 million bringing the total debt to £110 million. Some parties did well out of it. Moonshift Investments, a company controlled by club owner Eddie Davies which provides loan facilities, took £5 million in interest payments and is owed a £2.8 million ‘player success fee’. › Continue reading
Bolton, Aston Villa and a bit of Naughtiness
Friday, December 9th, 2011 | BWFC People | 8 Comments
This week’s visitors to the Reebok Stadium are Aston Villa, a club that has contributed significantly to the downfall of Bolton Wanderers. Not necessarily through results, but by off loading their less gifted players in a north westerly direction.
The words ‘Zat Knight’ and ‘four and a half million’ should never appear in the same sentence (apart from this one) unless you’re counting reasons to dislike the lumbering oaf. But that’s how much Gary Megson paid for him. Those still wondering about the real reason Martin O’Neill left Villa now have their answer. He couldn’t stop laughing and had to take time off to recuperate.
This season’s abject West Midlands reject is Nigel Reo-Coker, who generally arrives at the scene a second after the ball has departed and kicks whoever remains there instead. His was a free transfer. It wasn’t value for money.
A ginger worshipper of Phil Gartside leads the Megson Out campaign
Going back a little there was Gavin McCann. To be fair to the badger, he had some good days, but as regular readers to this site know, his move had the stench of corruption about it. One court case resolved, another pending. Read Phil Gartside: “A Cheat, a Liar and a Fraudster” for more details.
Jlloyd Samuel arrived at the same time. Another disappointing acquisition. Another court case. This time involving the larger than life (and larger than everyone else) figure of Mark Curtis. Read The Ginger Harry Secombe Who Runs Bolton Wanderers for the facts.
Villa fans have a problem familiar to their counterparts at the ‘Bok. Their team is managed by an uninspiring ginger wazzock, who wasn’t wanted and still isn’t. A definition on the Urban Dictionary had the term ‘Ginger People’ nailed.
‘The hair colour that all thieves have in common. If you see a ginger, the chances are he already has many of your possessions.’
It’s been removed now. Shame that. Of course there may be ginger people who are honourable, talented, intelligent or just nice. It’s just that nobody has met one.
At least Saturday’s visitors have a striker in Darren Bent, who knows where the goal is. Bolton’s front men don’t appear to know where the stadium is of late, although according to the Daily Mail, Ivan Klasnic has been scoring in a different fashion. Now his wife is filing for divorce.
Add in a non functioning midfield and Keystone Cops defending and it’s easy to see why Bolton are joint bottom of the table. Of course Owen Coyle has had injuries to contend with and some astoundingly bad luck. But even with those mitigations he is doing less well than he should be.
A draw may be likely in this game. If only because it’s 24 league games since the Whites had one. Villa on the other hand have shared the points in five of their seven fixtures away from home.
However that result wouldn’t be much use to the Whites. A win is essential. Sadly, with the club is such disarray, it is difficult to see that happening.
- Richard McCormick
Phil Gartside: “A Cheat, a Liar and a Fraudster”
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011 | BWFC People, Phil Gartside | 28 Comments
Gavin McCann. Not a name to make you sit up and take notice, although he was a solid enough performer for the most part. Yet if allegations surrounding his signing prove to be true, the midfielder may emerge as a highly significant figure in the history of Bolton Wanderers.
Jerome Anderson. Head of SEM
The decision to sign McCann was taken by Sam Allardyce, and the deal was brokered by Tony McGill, a football agent of eleven years standing, who was more recently involved in the transaction that took James Milner from Aston Villa to Manchester City and Stephen Ireland in the opposite direction.
McGill had meetings with then first team coach Ricky Sbragia and scouts Dave Worthington and Jack Chapman, all of whom were in agreement that the signing was a suitable one. After Allardyce left, it was decided to press ahead, with new general manager Frank McParland handling the detail. In all, the process took over six months.
So far, so ordinary, but then McGill describes what appears to be a strange turn of events, in which Bolton chairman Phil Gartside took a central role.
“The night before the deal I got a call off Gavin McCann to say there’s another agent doing the deal. The night before, I couldn’t believe it,” he says.
“Gartside said to my solicitor that he did the deal himself, there was no other agent involved. I went to court, to get all the legal documents because Bolton wouldn’t give us any information.
“I then went to court and got disclosure, then discovered that Gartside had employed another agency to work on behalf of Bolton to do what, nobody knows. He paid them £300,000. For nothing. For doing absolutely no work at all. ”
According to McGill, his protests led to further questionable behaviour.
“When I complained, somebody altered the contract date to backdate it a week, to show that they’d done some work. We’ve got a photocopy of the document, where the date’s been changed to backdate it, because contracts have to be lodged before the event and this wasn’t.
“And, the agency concerned used an unlicensed agent to do the deal – Dave Sheron. He went to Bolton, the day he signed to do the deal. There was nothing to do.”
Owen Coyle. Jerome Anderson's client.
The agency was SEM – Sport, Entertainment and Media Group. SEM is headed by Jerome Anderson, who was associated with Manchester City during Thaksin Shinawatra’s ownership of that club and with the Venky’s takeover at Blackburn Rovers. He’s also Owen Coyle’s agent.
On a deal like the one with McCann, the commission would normally be in the region of 5%. Yet the sum of £300,000 paid to SEM represents 30% of a £1 million transfer fee.
Legal action followed. McGill sued McCann for breach of contract, with the player settling out of court in November 2009. He has an ongoing claim against SEM.
However his complaint to the FA, where Gartside is a board member, was not acted upon. “The FA looked at this transfer deal, found that there was serious wrong doing, passed it over to their legal department and it’s been squashed,” he explains.
McGill asserts that the FA’s legal team didn’t even reply to his query, which is at odds with Gartside’s statement on Twitter last week - “…one side of a story and old news been investigated by authorities. Club and officers cleared of any wrong doing.” It’s doubtful that the agent would agree with that assessment.
“I’ve written to Phil Gartside on several occasions and texted him and I’ve called him a cheat, a liar and a fraudster,” he declares.
Gavin McCann. Formerly Tony McGill's client.
“I’ve got evidence of him changing the contracts going to the FA. We’ve physically proved that it was impossible for that date on the contract to be valid because nobody was there on that day.
“I’ve written to the sports minister Hugh Robertson, and he’s written back or e-mailed me back to say that he has given the FA until February 29th to completely reshuffle the place and to clean their act up, especially the compliance unit or he’s going to legislate against them.”
Until then, Manny Road has a few questions for Phil Gartside. We’ll be more than happy to publish his side of the story.
What services did SEM provide that caused you to pay them £300,000?
Why was a commission of 30% paid, when the going rate is 5%?
Has Bolton been involved in any other deals where the agent was changed at the last minute?
Why was the date on the McCann contract changed? Who changed it?
As a member of the FA board, how will you, and they, ensure impartiality in any enquiry?
From him leaving the club in 1995, until rejoining as Bolton manager, you spoke to Owen Coyle just once. What was it that led you to recommend him to Burnley as their manager?
Next up: The man who is said to be really running Bolton Wanderers.
- Richard McCormick
The Most Important Game of Owen Coyle’s Career
Sunday, November 6th, 2011 | BWFC People, Owen Coyle | No Comments
Stoke City are Sunday’s visitors to the Reebok Stadium with Owen Coyle’s position looking increasingly doubtful. After ten games of the season, Bolton are firmly in the relegation zone with a measly six points.
Needed at BWFC. Stuart Holden that is, not the porky women.
Yet the man from Paisley is still regarded with affection by most. This is as it should be. Coyle is a likeable and decent man, and one of the few involved with Premier League football who realises that without the fans’ money he would have a hobby instead of a lucratively paid profession. But that doesn’t alter the fact that he and his team are in deep trouble.
Stoke are the very antithesis of Bolton, difficult to play against and well organised in midfield, even if they do stretch the rules to an extent to which they can’t be worn again. However, Tony Pulis heads a mid-table outfit. That many home supporters are questioning whether it’s even possible to get a result, shows how low expectation has fallen.
In order to do so, Coyle needs to get the basics right. Bolton’s shape isn’t so much two lines of four as one huddle of panic, usually located around the eighteen yard line. Surrendering the space between there and the half-way line makes it a cakewalk for the opposition.
Also Needed at BWFC.
Going forward there is an utter lack of creativity. There is little advantage in hoofing the ball in the general direction of the penalty area and hoping for the best. What happened to the man who believed in wingers who crossed from the bye-line?
The most troubling aspect of this six month slump is the lack of spirit shown by Bolton’s players. It’s similar to the situation in January 2007. The Whites were third in the league at that point, but won only four games from then until the end of the season, with a few hidings along the way. It later transpired that Sam Allardyce had been denied previously promised transfer funds. He lost interest and it showed. One wonders if there is a another underlying issue at the club that is yet to be revealed.
If he does nothing else, Coyle needs to put some fight back into his men. The Whites are in for a long relegation battle. It would be regrettable if it were all but over by Christmas, with the man who brought such hope in possession of his P45.
The Gartside Saga – Part Two
Coming up after the weekend, Manny Road gives you the inside story on the Gavin McCann transfer, and asks why the FA refused to investigate it.
Meanwhile, Bolton chairman Phil Gartside has sought support from an unlikely source, as the graphic below shows. After being caught retweeting naughty words about Arsene Wenger over the summer, you’d think he’d have learned his lesson. It’s not the real Gary Barlow, Phil. Or even the unreal Gary Barlow.
What a Tweet
- Richard McCormick
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