Season Preview : Trouble Ahead?
What indicators can be used to predict Bolton’s success, or lack of, in the forthcoming season? Past performance (obviously), summer transfers in and out, preseason preparation. First of all let’s take a look at the results of the preseason friendlies.
| 2006 Pre Season Results | ||
| Burnley | 2 – 1 | BWFC |
| Rangers | 1 – 1 | BWFC |
| Derby County | 2 – 0 | BWFC |
| Huelva | 3 – 2 | BWFC |
| Sevilla | 3 – 0 | BWFC |
| BWFC | 1 – 3 | AZ Alkmaar |
If this collection of poor results repeated itself in the opening games of the new season it would surely prompt the singing of ‘The Premiership, is upside-down’.
I would like to think that the preseason scores reflect a poor spell which will be ended when Tottenham Hotspur journey north to The Reebok for the first match of the new term of footballing highs and lows.
Let’s keep the preseason palaver in perspective. These were ‘friendlies’ in which new players were put to the test and potential signings trialled. Some academy players were also given a chance to play along side the first team. The most impressive being Johann Smith [pictured right] who not only scored against AZ Alkmaar in Bolton’s only home friendly but proved to be a confident player who pulled back to defend when required and pressured the Dutch defence. All this with a good turn of pace that makes this American a likely candidate for a professional contract before the new season has ended.
Winning the friendly matches was not the main aim, but it would have been beneficial to have lost less games with respect to lifting the players’ and supporters’ moral, the latter of which must have been dented this summer because of the poor performance of England in the World Cup and the customary biannual transfer speculation farce. Add this to the loss of some key Bolton players, Jay Jay Okocha, Bruno N’Gotty and Radhi Jaidi and Bolton’s future could look to be in the balance.
In and Out This Summer
Bolton have lost some great players this season, apart from those already mentioned Hide Nakakta was not offered a full contract and decided to reitre from the game and it looks like the underused Mexican, Jared Borgetti will be leaving. Replacement signings for these players have been sort after but not found. Initially it looked like a new defender or two would be required, the midfield would be fine once Campo signed for another 3 years (but let’s get another quality playmaker) and the main signing would be a top-notch striker.
The signing of Abdoulaye Meite and Quinton Fortune should prove to be beneficial additions to the squad, and with Ivan Campo staying the squad is beginning to take shape. Israeli midfielder, Idan Tal, could surprise a few people by being (hopefully) an inspirational signing by the club who aids Bolton back into Europe next year.
What are the odds?
If you take the bookmakers’ odds onto consideration then your optimism might rise a fraction. The price for Bolton to win The Premiership averages out at 300-1 from which the prediction that they will end the season in 8th position for the third time can be calculated. Incidentally The Wanderers are (on average) 15-1 to be relegated.
Doom and Gloom
Despite a certain amount of optimism expressed above and that one always has a season’s beginning, I fear that this season may prove difficult for The Trotters resulting, not in relegation (that can wait another season!), but in the possible loss of Big Sam Allardyce. Obviously Allardyce leaving The Wanderers would be horrid and would surely mark the beginning of an arduous series of seasons in which BWFC would struggle.
I Predict a Riot
The BWFC24 prediction for the 2006/2007 season is that Bolton Wanderers will have a fairly successful cup run (just the one though) and will finish a disappointing 14th after a spring dip into the relegation zone.
