Ian Evatt admits he enjoyed the 'event' that came with Bolton Wanderers taking on a Premier League team in the form of Aston Villa as the top flight team praised their pressing abilities which they did struggle with.
Wanderers were in front of the Sky Sports TV cameras earlier this week in the second round of the Carabao Cup. Despite a spirited and impressive performance, Villa's Premier League quality eventually shone through as Bolton bowed out of the competition.
The Whites took a deserved lead in the first half when Dion Charles slotted home from inside the box for his first goal of the season. Douglas Luiz equalised before the break straight from a corner.
READ MORE: Plymouth Argyle boss gives verdict on Bolton transfer business & injury update ahead of Wanderers
The Villans went ahead from the penalty spot when, despite suggestions of offside, Danny Ings won a penalty at the expense of Joel Dixon. He picked himself up to slot home from the spot.
The Villans added a third through Lucas Digne, before Leon Bailey capped off the win with a fourth towards the end. It meant the League One side exited the competition despite a spirited and encouraging performance in a 4-1 loss and bowed out at the second round stage.
Evatt has the aim of being a Premier League manager one day and aims to do that with Wanderers. With the live TV aspect in the top flight, Evatt got a taste of it against Villa earlier this week.
The Bolton boss admits he enjoyed the event which comes with top flight sides and revealed the Villa staff complimented Wanderers on their pressing strategy. Evatt believes what his side managed for an hour is a rarity for a League One side, but believes the last half an hour shows what is needed to get to a top flight level.
He said: “It is almost like an event, every game is an event. And it was great. I am not going to deny it or hide the fact that is where I want to be, and that is where I want us to be together, because I love it.
"I love not just the fact that it is an event and it is on such a huge scale, but it is the technical and tactical battle. These games are so technical and it is great speaking to their staff after the game about how we surprised them with how high we pressed and how many we pressed with.
"They found it difficult and struggled to find solutions, and it is great to hear. That is what you want to hear.
"And vice versa, they caused us problems as well as how we rectify those, it is a great learning curve. It definitely whetted my appetite to get there.
“I don’t know this for a fact but I think for 60 minutes we were very much in the game and very, very rarely would you see a League One team play against a Premier League team and have, I think it was dead-on equal possession in the first half. I can’t remember seeing a team do that, so that is a great achievement for us.
"We conceded a set-piece in the first half, so that first-half performance is pretty good. And obviously, the way we play and how hard they make you work – we were always going to fatigue at some stage.
"But it probably gives the players a little insight into what is required to play this way against some of the world’s best players – obviously Philippe Coutinho has been one of the world’s best players at some stage.
"It really gives them a bit of a kick up the backside to say, ‘Do you know what? If we want to get to that level and complete at that level, we need to do this repetitively for 90 minutes’.
"For us to be able to do that, it means we have to be even fitter and even stronger – mentally and physically. Great learning curve for us all and great pride in the whole night really. Just having Bolton back on the tele for the right reasons and having people speak positively about our football club is great, and we want more of that.”
Evatt now takes his team to Home Park to take on Plymouth Argyle as focus switches back to League One. Wanderers are currently a point behind the Green Army in the table heading into the encounter.
It will be his 200th game as a manager which spans being caretaker boss at Chesterfield, as well as spells at Barrow and now Wanderers. Evatt has reflected on his time so far in the dugout and how he has evolved in that time.
He said: “Being a caretaker at Chesterfield was tough for those three games because, already being relegated out of the Football League, it wasn’t a nice time and the club was really struggling. But it also gave me an appetite to carry on.
"Just on the tele last night saying to the lads, Kev [Nolan] and Emile [Heskey] that my first game in charge for Barrow was Havant and Waterlooville at home and now I’m facing Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa who have got a £260million first 11 playing. It has been a great journey, lots of highs and lows.
"I couldn’t really pinpoint any one in particular, but the highs for me are just being the manager of this football club and working for Sharon [Brittan] and the board, and then connecting and having a great relationship with our fans, the rest of the club and you guys [the media] as well. It is a pleasure every day.
"I used to travel to Blackpool some days and drive past this stadium and it always caught my eye. Even now driving to Lostock every day, when I drive past it I get goosebumps. I still get that feeling, immense pride of being the manager of this football club, and hopefully I can get this club back to where we believe it belongs.
“I think I have evolved so much, even my time here. I think I have developed and evolved. Sometimes I have to be careful of what I say, I have learned that.
"As I have said before, I don’t mean to offend anyone. I am speaking to you guys and our fans – nobody else. But really just temper some enthusiasm, I would say sometimes.
"I just think I am a better manager than when I was when I first took over here and when I started. I am always learning. I learned even last night [against Villa] about the levels and what we can do to counteract these teams.
"Speaking to some of their staff after the game, they were very complementary about what we are trying to do and the balls it takes to play this way, even against teams like that.
"That is great when you hear those things and it kind of says to us that we are on the right tracks. Yeah, just keep learning, keep improving and work hard.
"I do believe that I work so hard, the rest of my staff do as well. I think in life in general, you get out of anything what you put into it. No stone left unturned is what I would say.”
Don't miss a thing from the club you love! For all the latest updates on Wanderers , sign up to our free newsletter packed with all the latest news here.
READ NEXT:
