Jimmy Phillips To Helm First Team On Saturday

"Phil Gartside asked myself and Sammy Lee to take charge of first-team affairs and he's in no rush to appoint a new manager. The next manager is going to be a very important decision and it needs to be one that takes the club forward."

That's what caretaker boss Jimmy Phillips said in an interview with BBC Radio Manchester ahead of Saturday's home clash against Bristol City at the end of this international break. It seems that the Bolton Wanderers chiefs will not rush their decision to name Owen Coyle's successor.

Phillips continued with the interview:

"He (Gartside) recognised the good work that's gone on in the academy and I think he's looking for the club to have a first-team squad that is integrated with players from within, which I'm sure all Bolton fans would like to see.

"He's not in a rush to appoint anyone and, with myself, Sammy and Julian [Darby] taking over, he knows he's got people with the club at heart.

"The three of us all played for the club, myself and Julian are from Bolton and support the club, and we were both ball boys here."

Phillips was also asked if he was being considered to take the job full time:

"That's not a question I can answer at this moment in time. It's a results-driven business and it's not a question that can be answered now because we've got to see how we do in the games."

For the first time in a long time, I'm excited for an upcoming Bolton Wanderers match. There isn't this hanging air of trepidation from the fans or a fear of which mistakes from the last match will be repeated come Saturday. Instead, we're looking forward to it and are excited for a Bolton boy to achieve a childhood dream.

There have already been murmurings that at least one young player will be given a chance at the weekend. We're ready for what the next few days bring.

Elsewhere, Jay Spearing admitted that the players have to take responsibility for the manager's sacking:

"With the manager on his way, it's been a difficult time for the lads," said the Liverpool player of his present club.

"We've only got good things to say about Owen Coyle and it was sad to see him go.

"We're looking forward to getting back to winning ways because, with the quality we've got, we feel this team is underachieving.

"The league is showing that now so it's about time we really started getting up that league."