In the eighth of a series of pre-season reports, HarryFromBath assesses the mood around the Championship clubs by delving into their forums, looking here at how things have progressed for the Trotters this summer. A report on Wigan Athletic will follow later today and all of the teams in the division will be covered between now and the start of the season.
"Are you sick of there being no football? Worry not, it's time for the new season”, "We will have an almost entirely new team and I have no idea where we'll finish. Maybe we can do a Millwall, maybe we will sign some quality, but let's not build up the quality of the rest of the league too much.”
"We looked fit and organised and that is a good start I guess.” Consolidation in the Championship in the coming season would represent progress for many Trotters. Last term they picked up a mere two points in their first 11 games and avoided relegation with a dramatic comeback in final day win over Forest.
"Everyone else will be looking to us to keep them out of the bottom three with some justification”, "The fixtures have been released. We start away at what one imagines will be a much-changed West Brom. Darren Moore has beaten Mourinho and drawn with Klopp, but can he handle Parky?”
"We have a perfectly good manager. The issue is that the club needs to find some way to allow us to compete with other teams in this league and that needs finance”, "Parkinson has shown more than enough flexibility under tricky circumstances to be classed as more than passable on a tactical basis.”
The 50-year-old former Bradford City boss took charge at the Macron in July 2016 and steered the club to promotion to the Championship in his first season. Fans are split on the pragmatic brand of football the team have played, with some arguing he has little alternative given his budget.
"Parkinson came through probably the hardest task any Championship manager had to face through financial distress, with an embargo leading to no player availability on top of the pressures of the possibilities of the club folding. Despite all that we came through and are still in the Championship.”
"To claim he is just a hoof-ball manager is less than respectful in every way and in my opinion totally unfair. Surely Parkinson at the very least deserves a chance to prove that he can manage on a level financial playing field and not be fighting way above his weight before the season even starts?
No fewer than 13 players have left the club this summer. Goalkeeper Mark Howard has returned to former club Blackpool, with fellow glovesman Ben Amos joining Millwall on loan. Centre-back Dorian Dervite has moved to Belgian club RSC Charleroi while fellow defender Derik Osede is unattached.
Looking at midfielders, Chris Taylor has joined Blackpool and Darren Pratley is now with Charlton. Jeff King has moved to St Mirren and winger Filipe Morais has switched to Crawley. Four departing midfielders, Karl Henry, Jem Karacan, Chineda Obasi and Jan Kirschhoff are currently unattached.
The one striker leaving the Macron this summer is 38-year-old veteran Aaron Wilbraham who has moved to Rochdale.
Six experienced league campaigners have arrived this summer. Poland international Pawel Olkowski, 28, has joined from FC Koln along with 26-year-old midfielders Erhun Otzumer (from Walsall) and Jason Lowe (from Birmingham). Midfielder Marc Wilson, 30, has also just signed from Sunderland
"Olkowski looks pretty quick, is athletic and good in the air. He seems very solid defensively”, "He was excellent to my eye and looks better than any full-back we've had in some time”, "He’s not shy of going in for challenges”, "He’s a really competitive right-back but also with some quality on the ball.”
"I don't think Lowe will be that effective. We need better”, "He looks tidy but for me he needs a proper partner. He's not as commanding as I'd hoped. He’s more of a ratter and a runner.” Many Trotters feel that a central midfielder and a striker are needed to make them fully competitive.
"Clayton Donaldson is a cracking back-up he’s not the main man. He suits running channels more than being a target as he is not great in the air.” The 34-year-old has joined on a one-year contract from Sheffield United. "A decent all-round striker who he is capable of putting a chance away.”
"Yanic Wildschut will be very frustrating. He looks like he can use his pace to burst past people easily but his touch can be heavy.” The 26-year-old winger is on a season-long loan from Norwich. "He will lose the ball in good positions a lot, but he will be more productive than what we had last season.”
It’s worth adding that keeper Ben Williams (ex-Blackpool), defender Jack Hobbs (ex-Forest) and midfielder Gary O’Neil (ex-Bristol City) have all featured recently as trialists.
Bolton have played experimental sides against non-league opposition, recording a 1-1 draw against Atherton Collieries, a 2-1 win over FC Halifax Town and a 3-1 defeat on Monday against Guiseley. They fielded a stronger starting XI (below) in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with La Liga side Girona.
Trotters felt that this team could be competitive this season. "I watched us at Fleetwood in the same stage of pre-season last year. This was a huge improvement. We look quite competent based on this and there is a big chance that the team and formation will be close to what starts at West Brom.”
"One concern is that Lowe and O'Neil were a two in midfield and Lowe doesn't look a pure defensive midfielder. Good teams might find space in between the defence and the midfield. Noone was lively, but we also saw his bad side. He's a great player so long as no opposition player is within six yards.”
"The midfield is now really important, at least as important as getting another striker. We have some good ability going forward but that won't matter if we can't protect our dodgy central defence or get the ball into the attacking players”, "I’m not too sure on O'Neil, he was struggling after 30 minutes.”
"I’d take fourth from bottom right now. Our mini-league around the bottom will be slightly bigger and tighter this year. Us, Wigan, Rovers, Wednesday, Reading, Brum, Rotherham and Ipswich will be fighting it out”, "Progress is being safe with a game to go this season rather than three minutes.”
There are two busy Wanderers’ forums, The Wanderer and Wanderers Ways.