Bolton Wanderers
Bolton boss Big Sam Allardyce
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Tuesday, 01, Aug 2006 04:33
Once castigated as little more than a long-ball roadshow, Bolton have emerged as genuine European challengers under Sam Allardyce.
Sports psychologists tell us that fermenting a siege mentality is a useful managerial device. Last season their theory was given an exhaustive workout at the Reebok.
The Trotters fought through a perception of media bias, refereeing incompetence and official prejudice to finish up eighth in the Premiership and just outside of Europe.
No one likes them and although they seem to care very deeply, they also thrive on it.
The stadium announcer has picked a particularly apt ditty which celebrates each Wanderers' goal. "Show me the Way to Amarillo" won't win Ivor Novello awards for innovation or style, but it is surprisingly effective, riding far higher in the charts than logic suggests it should.
While critics might like to imagine that Allardyce's tactical know-how consists of little more than Corporal Jones' insistence that "they don't like it up 'em", his team's direct approach and total commitment have undeniably got them punching above their weight.
The fact that Kevin Davies, Ivan Campo and Gary Speed have been at the centre of the team's success with career revivals of Tony Christie proportions is the icing on the cake.
Facts
Formed: 1874
Home: Reebok Stadium, capacity 28,723
Nickname: The Trotters
Adult 2006/07 season ticket prices: £389 - £511
Pedigree
League champions: 0
Division One champions: 1 - 1997
FA Cup winners: 4 - 1923, 1926, 1929, 1958
Community shield winners: 1 - 1958
People
Owner: Eddie Davies
Chairman: Phil Gartside
Chief executive: Allan Duckworth
Head coach: Sam Allardyce
Assistant coach: Sammy Lee
Team captain: Kevin Nolan
Last season
Premiership: 8th - P 38 W 15 D 11 L 12 GF 49 GA 41 GD +8 PTS 56
Uefa Cup: Round of 32 - lost 2-1 on aggregate to Marseille
FA Cup: fifth round - lost 2-1 (aet) to West Ham
League Cup: quarter-final- lost 2-0 to Wigan Athletic
Major summer ins
Dietmar Hamann - from Liverpool - Bosman free transfer
Abdoulaye Meite - from Marseille - free transfer
Quinton Fortune - from Manchester United - free transfer
Nicolas Anelka - from Fenerbahce - £10 million
Major summer outs
Dietmar Hamann - to Manchester City - Free transfer
Bruno N'Gotty - to Birmingham City - Free transfer
Jay-Jay Okocha - to Qatar Sports Club - Undisclosed
Radhi Jaidi - to Birmingham - free transfer
Unheralded stars
Kevin Nolan and Tal Ben Haim
In truth this accolade could quite justifiably go to any member of Allardyce's squad, so often are their individual talents forgotten.
Even the most celebrated member of the team, captain Kevin Nolan, doesn't get the recognition his all-action midfield performances deserve.
He left fellow scouser Steven Gerrard distinctly ruffled after their combative encounter at the Reebok and a series of consistently complete displays should have propelled him into the same bracket as the England man.
Yet the media allowed his omission from Sven's final squad to pass without a sniff of fuss. Competing in what should have been England's strongest department may have consigned him to bench-warming duty, but his claim for a ticket to Germany was surely stronger than many who did make the trip.
At the heart of the Bolton defence Israeli international Tal Ben Haim has been quietly keeping one player who did strut his stuff on the world stage out of the team.
Tunisian Radhi Jaidi was confined to just a handful of appearances as the composed 24-year-old marshalled the Bolton backline to tremendous effect.
What he lacks in size, he makes up for with shrewd reading of the game and spiky tenacity.
Starlets
Joey O'Brien
Such is the club's policy of picking up ageing superstars on the cheap and wringing the last few drops of magic from their ageing limbs that there are contrastingly few candidates in this category. In fact we are really scraping the proverbial barrel.
Joey O'Brien is a good, solid player, but you would be wasting valuable brain space by remembering where you heard the name first.
The 20-year-old Republic of Ireland international broke into the team at the start of last season after a blitz of injuries beset the side and, with responsibility thrust upon him, was rewarded with the boss' loyalty even after the queue at the treatment room door had eased.
The start of the season may well see Allardyce revert back to previous first-choice right-back Nicky Hunt. O'Brien may himself be unwilling to make the conversion from a defensive midfielder into a permanent one.
So, like I say, don't stress the grey matter too much worrying about a formidable generation of youngsters emerging from the club's academy to force down the average age of an increasingly creaky squad. As the saying goes the kids are alright, but alright might not cut it at the level the club finds itself at.
Predictions
League position: 12th.
Could have done with Hamann, or for that matter, any new faces.
Chances of managerial change: Quite slim, unlike the man in question.
Allardyce's gloriously shameless self-promotion came to nothing when the FA chose to go with Steve McClaren for the England job. Now likely to knuckle down and set about continuing to out-perform the former Middlesbrough man on a fraction of the budget, just to prove those at Lancaster Gate wrong.
Top scorer: Davies.
The manager has spoken about recruiting a proven top-quality forward to convert chances. If he succeeds, back the fresh face, if he fails, it is an open field. Kevin Davies should be loitering.
Player most likely to rock the boat: Diouf.
Any team with El-Hadji Diouf on board can never be too far from rougher waters. The shy Senegalese marksman kept his nose clean last year (along with his boots) but he was probably just building up to whatever scandal spectacular he has lined up for the tabloids this time around.
Michael Henson.