Those Linked with the Bolton Wanderers Job Compared to Phil Parkinson

Bolton Wanderers were linked with an awful lot of managers over the 13 weeks prior to Phil Parkinson’s appointment. Here is a look at some of the more interesting in comparison to the new boss.

I think that Parkinson should be a good appointment for Bolton Wanderers having stopped the rot at Bradford City five years ago before bringing them back to League One via a League Cup final and a famous win at Stamford Bridge. The club was looking at the very real prospect of non-league football having suffered two administrations since their Premier League years. Financial ruin and slipping down the leagues sound familiar to anyone?

But how does he compare for me with those linked with the job?

Roy Keane

Apparently the former Manchester United career ender was approached in relation to the management post but no formal discussions took place. He has not done all that well in his previous jobs so would have been something of a risk. It is fair to say that in my view in comparison we have landed a high quality candidate.

Dougie Freedman

Yes for some inexplicable reason our demonic former manager was linked with a return. I think on the scale of reboots this would be more Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull than Star Wars the Force Awakens. Without a job at the moment and I suspect that he may struggle to find another good job, but then again I never thought he would land a job as good as Nottingham Forest after Bolton. It is fair to say that I’m happy we have Parkinson and not Freedman.

Gary Bowyer

Did a decent job at Blackburn Rovers despite massive cost cutting taking place. Having said that it was his only managerial job to date meaning he does lack the experience. This was the key for me with this appointment with someone who knows the lower leagues being a must.

Alan Stubbs

The former Wanderer was not warmly received when he trotted on during the legends match. Him as manager would probably be a mix between Owen Coyle and Gary Megson, incapable outside of Scotland and hated by the fans. Yes he ended Hibernian’s gypsy curse but surely they will be upset to be spending another season in Scotland’s second flight. Would have been a mistake in my view and Parkinson is a much safer bet.

Sam Allardyce

One of two living Bolton managerial legends linked with the job along with Bruce Rioch. I’m sure we have all dreamt of what the return of Big Sam would look like but it was never going to happen, and those who saw Rioch’s Bolton no doubt feel the same way. Instead Big Sam will continue his futile search for a big club while no doubt wishing he never left home. Clearly would have been better, but we live in the real world unfortunately.

Phil Brown

The favourite for the job long before Neil Lennon left the club or Sports Shield even began the process of buying it. The former Bolton player subsequently ruled himself out of the running in favour of remaining at League One rivals Southend United. In many ways he would have been a similar appointment to Parkinson having lower league experience. Would have been a good appointment but I wouldn’t say we have done any worse than Brown.

Owen Coyle

The new Blackburn manager was linked with a return to the Bolton hot seat. If we stay up then I look forward to Blackburn joining us in League One. He messed up at Bolton or be it with injuries to key players and decreasing investment. A return would not have been a good move.

Chris Wilder

It feels like a lifetime ago that this man was the front runner for the job. He would have been a perfect fit but a man in demand was never going to end up at a sinking ship especially when his beloved Sheffield United came in for him. He did a sterling job at Northampton this season against odds as big as Bolton were battling against. Would have been a fantastic appointment, but he did better than the Bolton job.

Ryan Giggs

This would have been quite something wouldn’t it? The Manchester United legend would have brought something which has been lacking from Bolton for years and would probably still be better than Darren Pratley in midfield. But his lack of experience would have made it a massive gamble and although I would have taken Giggs over a number of people on this list Parkinson is a better appointment for us at the moment.

Nigel Atkins

Sacked by Sheffield United for underachieving with achievements I would happily take for Bolton right now. Experienced at this level so would have been a good yet unspectacular appointment. I’m happier with Parkinson than I would have been with Atkins.

Steve Cotterill

The former Bristol City manager did a stand up job first saving the club from successive relegations after one of the longest ever runs without a win in English football. He then got the club promoted, or be it with money he won’t get at Bolton. Repeating the last feat with Bolton would have been hard but I feel he would have stopped the rot. This would have been an appointment I would have been equally as happy with.

Jimmy Phillips

His record as interim manager was hardly amazing but then the squad he had at his disposal was the exact opposite of amazing. He would not be the right man for the job.

Peter Reid

Having helped Phillips during his caretaker spell Reid will already know just how bad the Bolton squad is. If he still wanted it after that then fair play, but he hasn’t had a top job in England for a while so would be a risk at a time when we need a solid lower league operator.

Uwe Rosler

After messing up Wigan Athletic Rosler could have become the next Coyle going around messing up Lancashire clubs. Thankfully that did not happen.

Dean Holdsworth

The Bolton co-owner for some reason was in the running according to the bookies. It would have been a horrible mistake but very Bolton Wanderers at the moment.

Steve Evans

Recently left Leeds United making him available. A good manager at this level and would have been quite a coup for the club in their current situation. I probably would have taken him over Parkinson, but realistically Evans will get himself a Championship job next season during the sacking season.

Neil Warnock

Again recently unemployed having left Rotherham United. One of the best Championship managers ever would be a fantastic appointment for Bolton in League One. I would have taken him in a heartbeat but then again we are not in cloud cuckoo land.

Kevin Nolan

The former Bolton captain was heavily linked with the job back when he was relieved of his managerial duties at Leyton Orient. It would have been a massive risk as a managerial novice and very much one people would want for sentimental reasons. A man with experience was a much better shout.

Nigel Clough

He has hardly set the world alight while managing in the Football League. With the exception of making Sheffield United the best cup side in the country for a year he has massively fallen short of expectations since leaving Burton Albion so it would have been a surprise to see him appointed and not a move I would have been overwhelmed by.

Paul Tisdale

The Football League’s longest serving manager was linked with the job. Having been at a stagnated Exeter City it would have been surprising to see him join the club. Having said that he has brought stability to a club which had crashed out of the Football League and would not have been a bad appointment for me. Having said that it would not have been as good as getting Parkinson in.

Gary Neville

Another Manchester United legend from the school of Sir Alex Ferguson. His spell in charge of Valencia was something of a disaster though it was always going to be a tall order for his first managerial post. Like Giggs the England coach would be an interesting risk but not one we needed to take right now.

Gareth Southgate

This may have been mainly due to him watching Rob Holding for his role with the England Under-21s. I see no merit at all in getting Southgate in, if he would have even have wanted to leave the Under-21s where he is doing a good job.

Gary Monk

He has made the mistake of popping up at Leeds United and has no doubt preformed the magic trick of immediately jumping to the top of the bookies list of first to get the sack next season. In my view he would have been out of his depth at crisis ridden Bolton who won’t have the players to play his style of football, or any other style for that matter. That doesn’t even cover his lack of lower league managerial experience.

Nigel Pearson

Derby County’s new manager would have been a massive and hugely unrealistic coup. I’m not as sold on him as a manager as many others are but there is no doubt he would have done a job in League One. However this is another case of having to live in the real world.

Steve McClaren

I think even League One will be too higher level for this man’s non-existent managerial talent. This is not to mention the fact that he has no experience this far down the football pyramid. It’s a good thing we did not become the latest club which McClaren has made under achieve to a horrible extent.

Kevin Davies

The legendary former Bolton striker kind of threw his hat into the ring on Twitter the other day. It may have been a joke but it was as solid as indication of interest in the job we had.

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What do people think of the appointment and was there someone else linked to the job you would have preferred to Phil Parkinson?