Bolton Wanderers – The Right Back Conundrum

It has been many years now since the mighty Bolton Wanderers had a right back to shout about, namely Mr Gretar Steinsson.

Could all this be about to change?

As it stands the Wanderers have one senior right back in the side, Lawrie Wilson, formerly of Charlton. This fact pleases me lots, just that one sentence, the fact that we do have a senior right back.

After a few turbulent years Neil Lennon has managed to obtain a full back who isn't a center half, of a midfielder or in fact somebody else's right back that we were borrowing.

With the likes of Danny Butterfield filling that role during Mr Freedman's reign of terror, it surely cements how desperate the club had become.

The problem was alleviated briefly last season thanks to one Josh Vela who grabbed the first sniff of an opportunity and became a solid right back over night (take note Rob Hall).

Unfortunately everybody knew this was not a long term fix, you simply cannot waste a young English central midfielder, with the ability to play Steven Gerrard off the park, at right back.

It is sacrilege.

Other than Vela, the likes of Hayden White, Rob Holding and Joe Riley never really managed to grasp their opportunities. Hopefully there will be more to come from them in the future for us (and Bury...). Oscar Threlkeld and Quade Taylor have been deployed more at center back than on the right of defense leaving us very, very sparse after the departure of Baptiste to Middleborough, despite the fact that I never saw him as a right back any way.

Despite all of these trials and tribulations, has the light begun to draw closer at the end of the tunnel.

I certainly hope so. This breaking news comes on the eve of another possible right back in the offing, in the form of former Cagliari stalwart Francesco Pisano. If Lennon can get this transfer over the line then finally Bolton Wanderers fans might be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Two solid, experienced and senior right backs in the first team picture, at last.

Has our Right Back Conundrum finally been solved?

We can but hope....