Bolton boss Ian Evatt wants side to show they mean business

The Wanderers head coach is taking notes on his players’ body language on the training ground and during this summer’s friendlies.

From running back down the tunnel at half-time, to showing no disappointment when a pass goes astray, Evatt believes the way his players carry themselves on the pitch is more important than many give it credit for.

He is now looking for his players to show more confidence on the ball as they plot a plan towards promotion.

“You have to send that message to the opposition,” he told The Bolton News.

“The psychology of football is massively underestimated. At times, it’s more important than the physical and tactical side of the game.

“You have to have a relentless nature about you, the edge, the arrogance.

“If you have a chip on your shoulder that’s great, contain it, but play with it.

“And if this team can learn to channel that we’ll create a lot of chances and win football matches.”

Evatt will take his players to a pre-season training camp in the Midlands for the next few days, which will include one pre-season friendly.

Sessions will be longer and more tactically-oriented than they have been at Lostock in the last few weeks – and the head coach is looking forward to laying down some of the more specific points of how he wants his side to play.

“There are plenty of finer details to come but I feel like we have got the base,” he said.

“The ingredients are starting to come together to bake this wonderful cake.

“At the minute we’re not there, yet. There are things we need to work on defensively and in the final third – the extra pass, rather than shooting and then having the opponent break. 

“If you see Manchester City and the way they play, two or three of our goals in the second half (of the 7-0 win at Bamber Bridge) were that standard.

“Coming behind the defence from the wing-backs, the square pass for the attack at the back post, that’s it, that’s the system. We need to work on those details.”