WHILE the saga of Wanderers' search for their ideal manager continues one former boss had admitted he should never have taken the job at the Macron Stadium.

Dougie Freedman left his position at Crystal Palace in 2012 to take over from Owen Coyle as Whites boss but says he realised on his first day in the job he had made a mistake.

The Eagles' former striker left Selhurst Park after steering Palace through a decent string of results and, reflecting on his time at Bolton in Crystal Palace podcast Holmesdale Radio, says he acted in haste and repented at leisure.

The controversial manner of his departure from Palace tarnished his legendary status with Eagles fans but he never really struck the correct chord with the Whites supporters, perhaps in part due to his own doubts, which entered his mind even as he headed to the North West for the first time.

"It was the wrong decision and I do regret it – let me put that on record – it was by myself. Nothing was forced, it was a decision made by myself," Freedman told the station.

"At the particular time of leaving, looking back, I sometimes question myself. I was strong-willed, hard-headed and ambitious, and I could not take a no.

"I kind of thought I was King Kong and I could fight the world and that it was my way or no way. That was wrong of me."

Hot property at the time, Freedman also had a job offer from a Premier League side but had had his head turned by Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside and rushed into a decision he regrets to this day.

He now accepts that, had he taken more time to decide on his future, he would not have joined Bolton.

"The most disappointing thing for me was that the decision to leave for Bolton was made over 24 hours," he said.

"I didn't have much time to think and that's what happens in football sometimes. I also turned down a Premier League job – but the offer was made through the wrong channels, so there was a lot going through my head.

"Bolton made an enquiry and paid a fee and you get the licence to talk to them. I spoke to them and I remember going to the movies that night to think about it.

"Phil Gartside, God bless him, played me like a kipper and told me everything I wanted to hear and the decision was made."

That decision was questioned in his own mind within hours of saying goodbye to his coaching staff and players and headed north.

"I went in the next day and had a huge argument with (Palace chairman) Steve Parish.

"I went to the training ground to say goodbye to the lads and there were a lot of tears. I drove out of the training ground and cried all the way up to Bolton.

"I thought I should turn around but my stubborn head said no. Then, at the first training session, around a week later, I knew I had made a mistake.

"That's just me; sometimes I get things right and sometimes wrong."

Another ex-Wanderers boss, Neil Lennon, is in the frame to succeed former team mate Alan Stubbs as Hibernian manager.

Lennon, who had hoped to return to Celtic but missed out to Brendan Rodgers, is the bookies' favourite to take over at Easter Road.