RafaBenitez
Why Coyle shouldn’t make another ‘sideways’ move
Monday, January 10th, 2011 | BWFC Goals, BWFC News, BWFC People, Bruce Rioch, Owen Coyle, Premier League, Sam Allardyce, Sammy Lee | 5 Comments
Before we get started, I want to make one thing clear; to all the bitter Burnley fans who may read this, I fully expect Coyle to accept the Liverpool job if, and that’s a big if at the time of writing, it is offered to him. That is the nature of football. We saw it with Rioch and Allardyce; you saw it with Coyle and.. erm… Coyle
That said, while I don’t for one second think that Coyle would turn down Liverpool, they are after all a massive club with huge tradition and a great history, that doesn’t mean that I don’t think he wouldn’t regret it six months down the line.
I’m sure we wouldn’t stand in Coyle’s way if Liverpool does make an approach. It would be a fruitless endeavour anyway. Once a player / manager / assistant manager / coach / groundsmen / tea lady etc have made up their mind that they wish to leave, the best thing the club can do is try to get the maximum amount for them.
king Kenny in high spirites on his return to Anfield, with a ermmm his assistants
That is why, if Liverpool do come calling, we’ll be powerless to keep Owen. I’m not naive; Coyle is an ambitious manager and his career aims will mean that he’ll outgrow Bolton, just as he outgrew Burnley.
I don’t expect him to stay at Bolton for his entire career and I’ve always been prepared for the fact that, if a big club came in for him, he would leave. The consolation in that logic was that, in order for a big club to come calling, Coyle had to be a success at Bolton.
He has; 7th in the league going into the new year, despite a little, and probably understandable considering the squad, wobble in form and results of late.
I have just been informed by my Dad that Roy Hodgson has been sacked by Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish has been appointed until the end of the season › Continue reading
A Minute’s Silence at the Reebok…
Saturday, October 30th, 2010 | BWFC News | 11 Comments
There will be a minute’s silence at the Reebok Stadium before Sunday’s game between Bolton and Liverpool.
The Reebok Stadium. It's been bolted down as a precaution against light fingered visitors
Such things are common for the guests. The death of a neighbour’s cat can trigger a week of mourning, statements in Parliament and a candlelit vigil outside both cathedrals. However, a moment of sombre reflection is justified this time. It’s to acknowledge the passing of Liverpool FC as a force in English football.
The league title last came to the red half of Merseyside twenty years ago. Since then the likes of Graeme Souness, Roy Evans, and most satisfyingly, Rafael Benitez, have presided over a slow, but inexorable decline.
Assessing Benitez when he first arrived in this country wasn’t easy, due to language difficulties. It was only when his command of English improved, that it became apparent what a tit he was. The Spaniard spent tens of millions, building a nondescript squad and is just as culpable for the club’s plight as Tom Hicks and George Gillette.
Now there’s Roy Hodgson. When your manager signs Paul Konchesky, you know the aspiration is mid-table mediocrity.
Not that the ex-Fulham man has much to work with. The list of players at Anfield used to be full of household names. Now, apart from Fernando Torres, and arch diver Steven Gerrard, it comprises has beens, overrated journeymen and anonymous foreigners.
Steven Gerrard in familiar pose
This game will be an interesting test for Bolton. While Liverpool won’t be challenging for a Champions League place anytime soon, they are still, at least for the moment, regarded as a big club.
Against such opposition, Gary Megson had a never say live attitude. Last season’s fixture resulted in a 3-2 win for Gerrard & Co. For some, the turning point was the sending off of Sean Davis, for looking at Lucas Leiva in a funny way. But the stats told a damning story. The home side had a mere 19% of possession.
Things are different under Owen Coyle. His team are way off the finished product, and will be so for several transfer windows. But there is a spirit and a self-belief that was entirely lacking before the Ginger One was given the boot.
The Whites should have beaten Manchester United and Aston Villa, but were let down by poor finishing. A victory over a fashionable side, even one in freefall is overdue. Anything less then three points will be a disappointment.
- Richard McCormick
Every Day’s a cup final for Mark Halsey….!
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 | BWFC Goals, BWFC News, BWFC People, Football Association, Ivan Campo, Jay-Jay Okocha, Nicolas Anelka, Owen Coyle, Phil Gartside, Premier League, Premiership referees, Sam Allardyce, Youri Djorkaeff | 11 Comments
The support from football fans and ordinary people in the street has been inspirational
Click the link to listen to Mark Halsey’s Exclusive interview.
http://www.zshare.net/audio/751463426e948768/
Despite hailing from Hertfordshire, Mark Halsey has firmly established himself as one of Bolton’s favourite adopted sons. After spending 12 years playing non-league football for Cambridge City and Hertford Town he began his refereeing career in 1989 and a decade later refereed the famous 1999 Football League One Play-off Final between Gillingham and Manchester City at Wembley. The same year he was promoted to Premier League status and shortly after the FIFA List of referees. He quickly established himself as one of the most popular referees in the League.
Mark was kind enough to take time out of his schedule to speak Exclusively to Manny Road & bwfcforum’s Andi Walton. He started by asking him about his current health:
MH: Yeah I’m feeling very good, I seem to be getting stronger with every game I do and it’s a bonus for me because I never thought I’d be back refereeing again, so every day is a cup final and it’s really great to be back and the reception I’ve received from the two games I’ve done at Rotherham and Port Vale and Oldham and Bristol Rovers, the fans have been absolutely fantastic and it’s been very emotional and overwhelming for me.
AW: It must have been the furthest thing from your mind getting out on the football pitch when you were in the midst of your treatment but now you’ve got to that stage, it must be a real thrill.
MH: For me to come back and, you know, I suppose…for what I’ve gone through with all my chemotherapy and my radiotherapy…I mean if you saw me at Christmas, I was nowhere near the Mark Halsey of old, you know, but I’ve worked hard and a lot of people have helped me and it’s been great. The support I’ve received from people around the country – just ordinary football fans and ordinary people in the street. They’ve been inspirational to me and they’ve got to really pat themselves on the back for the way they’ve helped me and it’s down to them that I’m back where I am now.
Bolton Wanderers Hall of Shame #8: Gary Megson – or is it me?
Thursday, February 5th, 2009 | BWFC News, BWFC People, Gary Megson | 10 Comments
Is Gary Megson the villain, or is it fans like me?
Here’s what I said about Gary Megson on the Unofficial Bolton Wanderers Podcast this week (click on the link below to download the MP3 file or alternatively the transcript is at the bottom of this post.)…
How to lose friends and alienate people, by Gary Megson
Thursday, January 29th, 2009 | BWFC News, BWFC People, Danny Shittu, Gary Megson, Grzegorz Rasiak | 4 Comments
Another fine PR mess from the Bolton boss
Gary Megson is a nice man, don’t you think? He never slags off his opponents like that nasty Mr Benitez does. And he never discredits other teams, like that horrible Mr Wenger.
Instead, that nice Mr Megson can often be heard singing the praises of his fellow Premier League managers and their teams, usually a day or two before those managers and their teams take three points off Bolton Wanderers.
What Gary Megson could learn from Rafa Benitez and Martin O’Neill
Tuesday, January 13th, 2009 | BWFC People, Chris Basham, Gary Megson, Sam Allardyce | 3 Comments
- Image via Wikipedia
The Bolton Wanderers manager needs to start playing a few mind games
Whether it’s Middlesbrough’s impressive youth set up or Liverpool’s title credentials, Gary Megson has made a habit of lavishing praise on the Wanderers’ opponents this season.
Media Watch: Liverpool love-in masks Bolton’s failings
Sunday, December 28th, 2008 | BWFC People, Gary Megson, Jlloyd Samuel, Kevin Nolan | 1 Comment
How the papers reported Bolton’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on Boxing Day
There seems to be no doubt who most of the papers would like to win the Premier League this season.
12 things you (don’t) need to know about Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers
Friday, December 26th, 2008 | BWFC News, BWFC People, Gary Megson, Kevin Nolan, Matt Taylor, Sammy Lee | 3 Comments
Your guide to all the pointless big match previews and predictions
1. Gary Megson has lost every games he’s ever managed against Liverpool, conceding 20 goals in six games and scoring just one (in fact, this stat fest contains a gold mine of depressing Liverpool-based stats for Wanderers fans).
The Burning Question: Do referees favour the big four?
Sunday, December 7th, 2008 | BWFC People, Gary Cahill, Jlloyd Samuel | 3 Comments
Are match officials biased towards Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal?
Bolton Wanderers have now lost all four matches against the big four teams in the Premier League this season.
Gary Megson’s (mis)interpretation of the Respect campaign
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 | BWFC People, Fabrice Muamba, Gary Megson | 1 Comment
The Bolton boss appears to be taking it a little too far…
Fair play to Gary Megson for somehow managing to keep a lid on his anger on the two occasions that Rob Styles has worked his magic on us this season (this occurred to me after watching Neil Warnock’s latest undignified rant over the weekend).
But I fear Megson may be taking the FA’s much talked about Respect campaign a little too literally.
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