“I seem to think that I always play new managers.”
Bolton Wanderers manager Dougie Freedman was in upbeat mood on Friday when asked about Wigan Athletic’s new boss Uwe Rosler ahead of the two teams’ derby this weekend.
The former Manchester City striker was named as the Latics’ third boss in six months after Roberto Martinez left to join Everton and Owen Coyle departed earlier this month.
Wigan have lost their last six games on the trot and exited Europe on Thursday, something Freedman hopes could work in his team’s favour.
“With a new manager you don’t know quite what to expect but I do believe we are adaptable,” he said.
“I don’t know whether it’s an advantage or disadvantage any more but obviously with the new manager the home crowd are going to get behind them.”
Freedman said Bolton have 4,000 fans making the short trip with them to counter the home side’s presence and that would help the already bubbly Trotters in their efforts to climb the table on the back of beating Doncaster last weekend.
“We’re in a good place right now. The squad is healthy the squad is fit. The lads are in good form on and off the field,” said Freedman.
“Especially away we’ve been very good of late – we’re looking nice and strong at the back and we’re attacking with good flair. There are good spirits around the place and I’m really looking forward to this derby.”
Freedman is hopeful the return of long-term absentee Mark Davies could spur Bolton onto much better things than last Christmas, when they dropped too many points.
“The personnel in the squad wasn’t capable of handling four or five games in quick succession – we didn’t pick up many points at all,” he said.
“We missed out on the play-offs on goal difference and I felt if in that block of games we had picked up more points we’d have been in the play-offs.
“I think this season I’m really focused on making sure that the next six games we’ve got to be really strong.”
Image courtesy of BWFC Official via YouTube, with thanks.
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