Ian Evatt has opened up about his time away from the game after leaving Wanderers and why it gave him some “perspective”.
Evatt departed the Toughsheet Stadium in January after four-and-a-half years in charge of the Whites.
He is now back in League One after taking over at Blackpool, where he made more than 250 appearances during his playing career.
“Bolton, it was ground zero when I took over,” Evatt told the club channels. “I had a really special relationship with Sharon Brittan, the owner there, and we had some great times – promotion, two play-offs, a play-off final, a Wembley cup win. I can’t speak highly enough of that football club, I loved my time there.
"It was all, for me, still about learning and developing. This time off has given me that chance to reflect and gain some perspective. When you are in posts, sometimes it is difficult to work on yourself and improve yourself.
“I think that is what I’ve done over the last nine months – look at what went well, what didn’t go so well, how can I improve that and develop my knowledge of the game.
“What we know as coaches is limited and what you don’t know is limitless. I’m trying to constantly get information to make myself a better coach and manager, and hopefully I can bring it to the table here.”
Evatt now feels ready for a new challenge at Bloomfield Road as he aims to steer the Seasiders off the foot of the table.
“You don’t feel it at the time but I needed the break. I have been in the game for almost 27 years without a break, I went straight from playing into being a coach,” he continued.
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“Just being able to spend some time on yourself again and understand what has been achieved, what could have been better.
“I have managed to do that and also work on things that I want to improve and my knowledge of the game – holistically in all aspects. I think I have done that and I’m ready to go again.”
His first game in charge is a trip to Peterborough United, who are only a point above Blackpool in the table.
Evatt highlighted set pieces as an area of the game where he feels he has developed and can help secure some “quick wins” in the early stages of his tenure.
“I am here to win football matches, it’s as simple as that. It doesn’t matter about what has been achieved as a player or the things we have done together before,” said the ex-Bolton boss.
“I am here on merit to win football matches for this club and that is my aim, to focus on improving the players’ confidence levels and making us a more aggressive team.
“I want us on the front foot, I want us to attack with and without the ball, and really get that mindset and mentality into the players very early on – reinforcement all the time, positive messages and getting the fans backing us.
“I know the difference they can make and once that happens, hopefully we will start to progress up the table.
“It’s going to be small, incremental stages. We can’t go zero to 100 but we are going to make sure we have the small wins initially, make sure the players have a clear plan of what is required with and without the ball.
“As I said, if we can attack with and without the ball I know we will start to win matches because I think this is a very talented squad.”
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