Simon Charlton: Someone Fresh Is Bolton's Future

A large part of the debate as Bolton Wanderers look to hire a new manager is whether the club would be better off with one of the old, familiar names or if they should look for a breath of fresh air. There is a lot of risk in the latter as these managers are largely unproven outside of their leagues but could bring in considerable reward. New ideas, new styles of play, and a new approach to management are all part of the appeal.

Former Bolton defender Simon Charlton knows what he wants to see from his old club as they move forward. Charlton, now 40 years old, spent his career at Huddersfield Town, Southampton, Norwich City, Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, and a couple others before settling into retirement just two years back.

Speaking to the Bolton News, Charlton said:

"Whenever a job comes up, it gets quite frustrating to see the same old, same old names connected. I've dealt with Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] a few times since he has been at Molde and anyone who goes to his first club and wins the championship for the first time in the club's history must have something about them.

"People might say ‘it's only Norway' but for me it doesn't matter. If he can get the best out of those players, he can get the best out of Bolton's players, and it's not as if he hasn't got pedigree himself."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has quickly emerged as a favorite among the fans with speculation surrounding him and betting odds being dramatically slashed.

"I'd really like to see someone fresh given a chance. I don't necessarily mean pluck someone out of thin air and give them a first-time job but if you look at Ole, he could bring fresh ideas and a different way of thinking because it hasn't been too long since he hung up his boots.

"He obviously has a great relationship with Sir Alex down the road, plus he will have a grasp of the European game and be able to tap into players that the club might not come across ordinarily."

"It's not easy for Phil Gartside or the owner because there is a lot of internal pressure to get promotion this season. It might be tempting to go for an experienced manager, who could probably turn things round in the short term, but what then?

"It's a sticky wicket because if they have failed at their last two clubs, what kind of guarantee is there that they can turn Bolton round at all?

"For the good of the game - and I don't just mean Bolton here - I think clubs have got to start bringing managers in who have fresher ideas and give players an opportunity to come through and get into that side of the game."