Wanderers may cast eye to foreign lands in recruitment drive next season

WANDERERS continue to make plans for overseas recruitment next season despite facing up to the jeopardy of the play-offs.

Ian Evatt has confirmed the club has continued to legislate for two different scenarios in recent weeks, investigating and researching potential signings for the summer in both League One and the Championship.

Part of that work has involved improving scouting and data networks in other European leagues, which could open up new markets to the club in the future.

The second half of this season has seen input from data advisors Ludonautics, a company established by ex-Liverpool director or research, Ian Graham, to the existing recruitment and analysis department established by Chris Markham.

Markham’s job title was rebranded to sporting director from technical performance director late last year after which Ludonautics’ partnership was confirmed with the issue of B class shares in parent company Football Ventures (Whites) Limited.

Evatt says Markham has worked hard to make sure the club has possibilities in the transfer market regardless of how the next few weeks turn out.

“There have been a lot of different scenarios we have had to plan for, and Chris in particular is doing well keeping my head clear for what is important,” he told The Bolton News. “I have a huge amount of trust in him and in the Ludonautics team working together behind the scenes.

“They are looking to give us the best possible options, regardless of how this season ends.

“We have seen with Aaron Collins that when we do that diligent work and make signings that they can pay off, and we’re delighted with how Aaron has been playing since he came here.

January window recruit Aaron Collins celebrates a goal against Reading (Image: Camerasport)

“If you look at our squad now and the value of it, I would say the value of the whole thing has increased tenfold, so I think largely we are getting it right and I trust that we will get it right again in the summer.

“Now obviously the scenario we are in, we have to keep many plates spinning, but I trust those guys to make that happen and get me involved when I need to be involved.”

Wanderers had no scouting network whatsoever when Evatt arrived at the club four years ago, the department slowly dissolving under previous ownership and being replaced by the ill-fated appointment of Tobias Phoenix as the head of football operations.

Once Markham was installed and a successful relationship established, Bolton started to gain some traction and a particularly successful January window in 2021 inspired a late run for promotion from League Two.

Evatt now has his sights on another promotion to the Championship and says Markham and Ludonautics will continue to play a big role in the recruitment decision making.

But the Bolton boss also believes the progress made in the last four years should not be overlooked, nor underestimated, whatever highs and lows the play-offs may hold. “Chris is the Sporting Director, we work together on the football department and we are very aligned in our thought process,” he explained.

“Obviously I am at the head of the football department, so everything ultimately finishes up with me, but the work Chris has done on the recruitment and the performance side has been absolutely fantastic.

“The team he built, and Ludonautics are now adding to that as well, there are lots of exciting things happening behind the scenes in terms of overseas recruitment and the work that is going on there, which won’t be ready until the summer.

“I genuinely think this is an exciting time for Bolton Wanderers. We have got this club into the position where it is really ready to take off again. There is a lot of hard work that has gone into that and we shouldn’t ignore that.

“From the club I came to four years ago compared to where it is now, it is credit to everybody – Chris and his team, the board and Sharon, the community in general.

“I think sometimes when you are involved in a promotion fight and everyone wants it so much you can lose sight a little bit of what has already been achieved.

“It is important that we look at that with pride. You even look at the Portsmouth game, I walked away from that just so proud of our football club. I know we didn’t win the game – and I desperately wish we had – but to see a crowd like that, a game of that magnitude, from where we have come from, it is something that should be celebrated.”