It’s no secret that Bolton have played some fine football this season as their current fifth place position proves. While Bolton were once a side under Sam Allardyce who played anything but beautiful football, Owen Coyle has done wonders at the Reebok in an incredibly short time. With a cast of players largely similar to Gary Megson’s Bolton who languished in the Premier League towards the bottom and with no real ambition, Coyle has been able to inject his brand of gusto-laden football into Bolton to the tune of some more than healthy results.

In just four and a half short months last season, Coyle proved the right man for the job when he pulled Bolton out of the relegation zone and finished the season in 14th on 39 points. Over the summer, Coyle secured the services of Martin Petrov and Robbie Blake but it was his time spent with his first choice starting XI that has proved most decisive in Bolton’s impressive run of results this season.

While Bolton continue to thrive under Coyle and chase a European spot of some form, I can’t help but to notice just how many other Premier League sides are implementing similar styles of attacking football and staying committed to the cause of attack.

Joining Bolton on the list of clubs who are attempting to shred the moniker of dull and boring sides in the Premier League are West Brom, Wolves, Blackpool and Wigan (Saturday’s match between Bolton and Blackpool is sure to be an incredibly open and entertaining match).

Although Coyle himself is no innovator of tactics new or unheard of, his dedication to positive football seems to be catching on as teams once thought of as unable to compete with traditionally bigger sides have enjoyed some success against them this season.

West Brom drew United and beat Arsenal away from home, Wolves beat Manchester City at home and Wigan beat Tottenham at White Hart Lane. Although Wolves and Wigan remain in the relegation zone currently, it’s not for their lack of trying while they’ve stayed committed to attacking football.

While Coyle’s formation of 4-4-2 that has been so successful isn’t breaking ground in English football, his tactics and organization of his team have been paramount in what Bolton have been able to achieve this season. A central midfield pairing of Stuart Holden and Fabrice Muamba compliment each other well and both feature close to the top of the tackles won list. Both work hard and have the ability to complete a decisive pass while Holden often gets forward resembling a third striker.

Kevin Davies continues to do what Kevin Davies does well and strike partner Johan Elmander has been in scintillating form in recent weeks. Chung-Yong Lee has performed tirelessly on the wing, exposing many of the league’s left backs with his pace and invention and a back-line led by Gary Cahill has been solid enough without flirting with shakiness.

Coyle’s strength can be described as noticing what players are good at, recognizing that talent and molding it with other players who have different strengths to form a cohesive unit. Whether or not Coyle and Bolton can keep up their fantastic run is yet to be known, but what is a sure thing, is that Coyle will stay committed to attack thus proving he’s a quality manager while it seems others are noticing and trying their best to do the same.

Well this season is just getting harder and harder to predict. Having just absorbed last week’s action Game Week 15 is here and no doubt will throw up plenty more surprises.

The Premier League weekend kicks off Saturday lunchtime at Villa Park. Two wounded team’s line up looking to bounce back from disappointing results. The majority of Villa’s midfield is currently residing in the treatment room. Step forward Barry Bannan and Stephen Ireland, Bannan (4.5) has performed well so far and Ireland (5.9) is eager to get his Aston Villa career up and running. Arsenal are still sitting pretty in third, despite apparently being in crisis, it’s a crisis that 17 other Premier League sides would be delighted to find themselves in. Robin Van Persie (9.5) will be looking to get his season up and running this weekend. Cesc Fabregas will be out for two weeks after picking up a hamstring injury against Braga. But Arsenal still have a wealth of talent to call upon in the absence of their inspirational skipper.

West Ham host Wigan in the basement battle of the weekend. It’s a must win game, both teams will be hoping their match winners will see them through a nervy encounter. Carlton Cole (5.8) has voiced his frustration at the lack of quality balls into the box. Now would be the ideal time to give the Hammers front man the service he craves. Wigan will miss star striker Hugo Rodellega (Suspension) but have the continually impressive Charles N’Zogbia (5.7).

Top of the table Chelsea are struggling too and face a long trip to St James Park this game week. The last time Chelsea lost two league games on the bounce everything was in black and white. They visit a Newcastle side who can’t quite decide whether to score five or concede five every week. My head say’s it all adds up to a dull no score draw But my heart is saying goals so get Andy Carroll (6.1) in your starting XI, John Terry is still absent from the Blues back line and the boy Carroll is guaranteed to give any defence a rough ride.

Sundays late game see’s Tottenham host Liverpool. Spurs cruised past Werder Bremen and into the last 16 of the Champions league Wednesday night. There can be no excuse of tiredness come Sunday, Harry Redknapp’s side had time to stop and feed the ducks on their midweek walk in the park. Jermain Defoe (8.6) is fit again and looks desperate to make up for lost time. If you have the funds available snap him up, he’ll be back in the goals sooner rather than later. Rafael Van Der Vaart (8.5) looks certain to feature after missing out in midweek. Liverpool are starting to turn the corner, but their form on the road is horrendous and they look likely to head home empty handed.

Final mention goes to Johan Elmander (6.3), Kevin Davies (6.5) and Chung-Yong Lee (5.3), I tipped them to be in the points last week and they didn’t disappoint. A home tie against Blackpool this weekend almost guarantees another return from them and hopefully, they will again keep my final shreds of credibility intact for a little while longer.

That’s your lot for this week. If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ the code you need to join is 13413-5300

It’s been a busy week in the Premier League and the fun just doesn’t stop. Game Week 13 is here already and we have another full fixture programme to look forward to.

It’s at the foot of the table where the excitement and the points are to be had this weekend. The bottom three are all at home and these fixtures would have been double underlined in red as winnable at the start of the season.

West Ham play host to the still free scoring Blackpool. Piquionne and Parker did the business Wednesday and will be looking for a repeat performance on Saturday. If recent form is anything to go by it will be a goal fest at Upton Park.
Wolves – who, if points were awarded for pride and guts would be top of the league – entertain an in form Bolton. Mick McCarthy’s men need to shut down not only Kevin Davies but also Johan Elmander. The big Swede has finally worked out the difference between a set of goal posts and the side of a barn, the reward for this realisation is 62 points for the Trotters front man. Wolves will be relying on the likes of Matthew Jarvis (5.3), Stephen Hunt (5.3), Kevin Doyle (5.1) and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (5.0) to breach Wanderers stubborn back line. Wolves will edge a narrow victory here.

Wigan are in desperate need of a win, so far their season’s star performers have been Hugo Rodallega (5.8) and Charles N’Zogbia (5.5). Another big performance from this pair is required against West Brom. All things good for the Latic’s seem to come from these two, take a gamble and give them a run out this game week.

Stoke are hovering above the drop zone and Welcome a rejuvenated Liverpool side. Stoke at home are always a difficult prospect. Big Robert Huth is a mountain at the back and a genuine goal threat going forward, a 4.9 million price tag has returned 37 points so far. Striker Ricardo Fuller weighed in with 9 points in the last game week and is available for a mere 4.8 million.

Manchester City will be looking for a positive reaction after a dishwater dull Manchester derby. Chelsea are beginning to pull away at the top and the Eastland’s outfit cannot afford to lose anymore ground. Birmingham could well find themselves on the wrong side of a City backlash. Blues keeper Ben Foster (4.9) could be in for a busy afternoon.

Last special mention this week to Blackburn stopper Paul Robinson – sitting 4^th overall in the goalkeeper table having so far amassed 49 points – is yours to buy for 4.6 million. An absolute bargain if you’re looking to generate some cash to strengthen other areas of your squad.

If you feel like joining in the fun then join the EPL League by visiting: http://fantasy.premierleague.com/  the code you need to join is 13413-5300

Roy Hodgson finally saw his Liverpool side climb out of the bottom three with a hard-fought win at Bolton. It certainly wasn’t easy for the Hodgson’s men as the hosts frustrated Liverpool for long periods only to be undone by some Fernando Torres magic late on.

Torres’ delightful flick in to the path of an on-running Maxi Rodriguez demonstrated that while he is still lacking in form he can still be a match winner for Hodgson. In fact you could argue that with his assist today, coupled with a winning goal against Blackburn last week, the Spaniard has already earned Liverpool six points.

However the former Atletico Madrid man is still a million miles away from his best. Had it not been for his piece of individual brilliance, then mass criticism of Torres would have been the reaction from most pundits.

So often at the Reebok Stadium, the 27-year-old would miss place a pass or see his touch let him down. This is the reason why he is not getting anywhere near the number of goals that you would expect from a striker of his ability.

I’m reluctant to say “the Fernando Torres of old would have scored today” because it’s not as if Torres is a different player. His flick today was a timely reminder of the immense talent that he possesses.

In time, I think Torres will play himself in to form because his confidence will slowly grow. But I think Hodgson can help him by changing his tactics to ensure Torres gets the best service possible. Torres looked isolated at times in the first half against Bolton, and with his confidence low, a second striker to support him and ease the pressure on him to score goals could really help the striker return to his best sooner.

Hodgson did just that at Bolton with the introduction of David N’Gog as a second half substitute and Torres’ performance did improve as a result. In the long term I doubt whether N’Gog has the capabilities to provide a suitable foil for Torres, but with Dirk Kuyt’s return from injury expected in next week’s clash with Chelsea, Hodgson does have options.

The Chelsea game next week could be the ideal stage for ‘El Nino’ to return to form. The striker has previously thrived for Liverpool on the big stage, and there aren’t many bigger games for Liverpool this season. But you have to feel for Torres to shine he really needs the support of his team-mates and his manager now.

Hodgson would be a fool not to give him this support, because if he can get Torres firing on all cylinders, then Torres will fire Liverpool up the table.

As the Premier League wraps up its 6th Gameweek, the league table begins to take a familiar yet still somewhat open shape. Manchester United failed to take advantage of the losses suffered by Chelsea and Arsenal when they made the short journey to Bolton and came away with only a point. As disappointing as the draw was for supporters, United were still able to jump ahead of Arsenal and into second place. As United still search for the attacking cohesion that won them three Premier League titles in a row, here are a few key observations for United fans to keep in mind after the draw and after the first six weeks of the season.

0 Lost in 8 in all competitions (9 if you count the Community Shield) - At times United look as if they’re struggling with their oh-so-familiar early season form. But really, how bad are things? As occurrences on the pitch could easily be better, United are undefeated in all competitions this season. A few mental lapses avoided and United could easily be top of the league. While rivals Chelsea have now lost two in a row and with Arsenal dropping their first home match since January, United remain unbeaten while only 3 points behind the leaders. Maybe not Premier League favorites just yet, but until someone figures out how to beat them, they’ll remain not far from the top.

Wayne Rooney’s dip in form may take more time to sort out. He’s obviously out of sorts. No real spark, no creativity. When was the last time Rooney was pulled in the 61st minute of a match based on his form? The off the field distractions have obviously gotten the better of the England international who’s netted once in six matches, a penalty. Rooney’s always been a form player, when he’s clicking, he’s one of the best in the world, but when he’s off his game, it usually takes him a handful of games to regain his best form. Rooney’s a long way from his form of last season, but with time and patience, he’ll recover it. Dimitar Berbatov’s fine run of games has been an early season savior for United.

It’s looking more and more like Johnny Evans isn’t a Manchester United-quality defender. For two or three weeks in a row now, and with Rio Ferdinand still struggling with fitness, Johnny Evans has been caught out in central defense which has nearly led to an opposition goal and caused United problems. While he’s progressed miles in the last few years, Evans is currently experiencing a difficult run of form as he and Nemanja Vidic attempt to settle into a central defensive partnership. Usually close to a 5 or 6 out of 10 in the loathed or loved player ratings, Evans, an athletically gifted defender, must continue to focus his energies on his concentration.

Manchester United can still win the league and silverware this year. No one imagined United would be top of the league with a 100% record heading into October. As at times good and mediocre as United has been this season, they’ll likely get better. With the impending return of Michael Carrick, Owen Hargreaves and Anderson into the first team soon, United will have more cover for the aging Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs – two players who were largely ineffective Sunday v Bolton. A completed product United have yet to become.

Nani is coming good this season and will continue to improve, impress. Nani scored a brilliant goal to bring United level in the first half when he picked up the ball at the halfway line, got the better of four Bolton defenders, and slotted home past Jussi Jaaskelainen. His continued improvement in form over the last few years hasn’t placed him in the realm of the one he replaced, but has at least showed immense improvement and growing potential. Nani is proving he’s becoming a very good attacking player and that he can be counted on. He’s contributed with goals, assists, and has even shown his abilities to track back and defend (see under his defensive performance v Leighton Baines v Everton).

Some will say it was two huge points dropped away to Bolton on Sunday while I wouldn’t necessarily disagree. But the point earned when those in front of United gained 0 could end up counting for a lot.

My first professional game I ever attended was a mid-week night game on a cold night in Wales. The floodlights could be seen from miles away and they seemed to light up the pitch and turn the color of the grass into a different shade of green.

Throughout the years, I’ve seen plenty of professional games in person whether they’ve been late at night, early afternoon or a late afternoon kick-off. Each has its pluses and minuses. A match that kicks off at 7:30pm on a summer’s night is perfect to see the sun setting in the distance. A lunchtime kick-off has the advantage of seeming like the whole day is still ahead of you even after the final whistle blows. A late evening kick-off in the autumn or winter can make the atmosphere feel electric as the dark sky helps divert the attention to everything that’s lit up by the floodlights, from the wet ball reflecting from the electric lights to the flares and smoke that light up the night.

On television, it’s a completely different experience. If I calculated at what times I’ve seen games on the box, it would probably be kickoffs at any hour of the day from the World Cup games in the middle of the night during the summer of 2002 to the early morning kick-offs we’re accustomed to watching the Premier League and then throughout the entire day.

Having said that, there are definitely times when I’m not a big fan of watching soccer either in person or on television. I’ve experienced far too many mid-day games in-person in South Florida where the heat has killed the game both on and off the field. On television, depending on the time of the year and the weather, I’ve watched plenty of 3pm GMT kick-offs that have been ruined by the massive shadow that is cast across the pitch by the roof of the stadium. It can often be a frustrating experience trying to watch those games and it really ruins the match at times.

I also remember once watching a game on television where the match came to a halt because the floodlights failed. Luckily, the organizers were able to get the floodlights working except for one, and the game itself then carried on but it looked pretty surreal watching it because there were parts of the pitch that weren’t very visible as usual. I also remember watching the Cuba against United States game a couple of years ago when the floodlights were so poor that it made the experience pretty tough trying to watch the game. Thankfully, these are the exceptions rather than the rule

For me, I much prefer watching night games with a local kick-off time of 7:30pm. Watching games at night, there’s usually a much better atmosphere than a day game. Plus a day game can feel like it takes an eternity for it to start. You wake up and then there’s the long insufferable wait for the game to arrive. So it’s sometimes difficult to find time to go to work or do whatever you need to do during the day time because you know that the game cuts into your day somehow. With a 7:30pm kick-off time, you can get so much accomplished well ahead of the game.

As for television, my favorite time is watching a 7:45am ET game. This way, it’s the first thing I do after I get up and it starts the day on a good note. Then, after it’s done, there’s the whole day ahead of me in case I need to run errands or spend time with the family.

One of the surreal experiences for me was almost four years ago when I went to England to watch Everton play Bolton at Goodison Park. It was a 3pm GMT kick-off time. If I was home, the game would have been shown on television at 10am ET. So my experience of watching that game in England felt so different than what I would have experienced in the States. Not because one was on television and one was in person. More so because the day seemed to drag on for so long as time crept by in anticipation of the 3pm kickoff. And to make matters worse, it was late autumn in England so by the time the game was ready to kick off, it was already beginning to get dark. And when the game ended, the sky was in complete darkness.

But if you had a choice, what for you are the best kick-off times to experience the beautiful game – for both television and in-person? Share your opinions in the comment section below.

I hate to be “that guy.” I really do but the British media’s constant efforts to chalk Chelsea’s EPL campaign as the result of favor from match officials is bordering on insulting. Chelsea’s last three victories came against Manchester United, Bolton and Stoke City and in all three the Blues have come under critcism for calls that went in their favor. Pundits pointed out Drogba’s offside’s match-winner against Manchester United as referees giving the game to Chelsea but these same critics stayed silent on the possible handball of Federico Macheda or the obvious penalty on Gary Neville.

Sir Alex Ferguson, always quick to blame defeats on everything but his players, said “What I can’t understand is the linesman’s directly in front of it. He has no-one near him and he gets it wrong. A game of that magnitude, you really need quality officials and we didn’t get them today. It was a poor, poor performance.” On his last point Ferguson was correct, the officals were poor on that Saturday afternoon at Old Trafford but they were bad for both sides. The outcome was not determined by the men with the whistles and to imply otherwise is ludicrous. Who knows if Macheda would have even gotten that goal if it were not for the reckless pressure United was forced to apply with a two-goal defecit. It is overly simplistic to think that the outcome of the match would have been identical minus one goal. That’s not how the game works.

The following week Chelsea put in an admittedly flat-footed display against Bolton. Bolton had two handball appeals waved off, one against John Terry and the other against Didier Drogba. Drogba’s offense was obviously a penalty but the alleged offense against Terry seemed to come off the shoulder and not the arm. Columnists were infuriated with the apparant blue bias of the referees. “At the top, Manchester United and Arsenal can forget about the championship if Chelsea are going to survive such clear-cut handballs,” said ESPN columnist Harry Harris. Did Chelsea escape this game with a few generous calls? Probably. But what some people do not seem to understand is that handballs inside the box are missed more often than they are seen. Chelsea had a few claims to handballs themselves but were turned away because the offense is so difficult to see.

But the most egregious offense came during Sky Sports halftime analysis of Chelsea’s thrashing against Stoke City. Both analyists claimed that Soloman Kalou’s sliding rebound to put Chelsea up 2-0 was “a dangerous play that deserved a red-card.” Upon viewing the replay it’s obvious that Kalou got to the ball first and and it was the goalkeeper who lunged to make contact with the Chelsea player. The play resulted in Thomas Sorenson getting injured and that’s regrettable but in no way a sending off or grounds to wave off a clear goal. The commentators again cited big-club bias against the referees but made no mention of the obvious handball by Stoke in the first half.

If Chelsea manage to hang onto their slim lead atop the EPL and hoist the trophy on May 9 it will not be because of favorable treatment by officials. It will be because they played the best football over the course of the season. Clubs get victories they don’t deserve because of blown calls all the time. That will always be the case and incompetence by officials knows no biases.

One or more Premier League clubs may play in a friendly soccer tournament in New York City this summer according to a report from a northeast England newspaper.

The English clubs that are being seriously considered are Fulham, Everton, Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle United, who celebrated promotion back to the Premier League Monday night. In addition to the English teams, clubs such as Juventus, Napoli, Galatasaray, Fenerbache, Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Atletico Madrid are also being considered.

While the teams competing are yet to be decided, what we do know is that the tournament will likely be named the New York Football Challenge and that one team that will be playing for certain is Red Bull New York. Plus, all games will be played at the beautiful new Red Bull Arena.

Four teams will compete in a semi-final tournament with the two winners meeting in the final and presumably the two losers playing in a third-place consolation match.

In addition to the prospect of Fulham, Everton, Bolton or Newcastle United heading over to the States this summer, we can also look forward to Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and possibly Manchester City coming to America in late July-early August.

Belief is an oft-used word by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, as he has belief in his team’s abilities to vie for the league and perhaps more.  There’s unquestionably great technical skill at the Emirates, but more often, at crucial moments, belief is what Arsenal lack.  The Gunners will relish their top spot in the league for a few days, and it’s deserved, in developing a bit more grit since a humiliating loss to Chelsea at home in November.  Belief should be in large supply in north London, after coming from behind to beat Bolton 4-2.

There was of course, a controversy unseen (but later apologized for) by Wenger, leading up to Fabregas’ goal,when William Gallas crunched into Mark Davies, that made one wonder if the big clubs do get preferential treatment from referees, no matter what Alex Ferguson says.  Alan Wiley certainly missed one on that occasion, but Owen Coyle’s fury should soon be dissipated with hosting Burnley, his last club only days ago, in less than a week’s time.  It’s certainly tough to take over the reins any time in the Premier League, but to start off with two against Arsenal is something the new Bolton gaffer will be glad to be done with.

If you were to look at the Gunners’ two games with Bolton (the first, a 2-0 Arsenal win at the Reebok last Sunday), spectators have gotten a decent return in their viewing.  Last night’s game was unquestionably the highlight, with Bolton putting two past Arsenal at the Emirates before a half hour had passed.  And that was the moment, just a shade before thirty minutes had elapsed, that you wondered if Arsenal would frustrate themselves, as they have done in the recent past.  Steady in attack, even resilient, the Gunners played on and Tomas Rosicky thumped home Arsenal’s first goal before the half, beating a flat-footed Jussi Jasskelainen at his near post.

The controversy came in the 52nd, when Gallas stepped on Davies’ ankle, and Arsenal played on, resulting in a Cesc Fabregas goal from such an acute angle, Robin van Persie would’ve been proud.  Tomas Vermaelen added Arsenal’s third after a scramble in the box less than fifteen minutes later, and a nicely-finished goal fromAndrei Arshavin in the 85th saw the Gunners go top.

It’s nearly impossible to not let  Gallas’ tackle mar Arsenal’s temporary perch above the Premier League, but it’s almost just as impossible to see how Arsenal don’t deserve at least a share of first or second place at this point in the season.  The league leaders have stumbled up to this point, and an extravagantly-assembled Manchester City and nose-diving Liverpool have seen the word “parity” bandied about in the league.  If there was a team to deserve a share of first place, the Gunners deserved it, getting it done without van Persie, Nicklas Bendtner, and now Alex Song (arguably Arsenal’s most-improved player this season), off on African Cup of Nations duty.

Chelsea can easily reclaim the top spot against Birmingham next week, and Arsenal find a tough run of games coming up (Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool).  But it only takes a glance at where the Gunners were at this time next season to see a marked improvement to Wenger’s talented side.  If there was an Most Valuable Player award in the EPL, Fabregas would surely be a front-runner.  He’s the only player at the moment in Arsenal’s attack who can take control of and change a game.  Robin van Persie is that kind of player, but Gooners will be lucky to see the Dutchman sharp and fit before the season’s over.

Perhaps this is the best opportunity or Arsenal in five years to win the league.  The last time Arsenal looked a credible side to vie for the trophy was the season it all fell apart for them, after Eduardo’s horrific injury.  Perhaps that is what makes Gooners a little apprehensive to speculate on their team lasting the marathon.  And one only look at Eduardo now, who remains a good reader of the game, and clever on runs, but lacks some of the pace and finishing he had pre-injury.

One thing is impossible to deny.  The captain Fabregas and Arshavin are indispensable.  As long as they miss the deadliness of van Persie, the Gunners rely far too much on those two.  Of course you would look to those them when they’re fit, but Wenger’s side seem guileless and sometimes plodding when either are missing.  As much as it hurts to say, they are talismans.  There are questions about Manuel Almunia, the depth of Arsenal’s back line, and the squad’s ability to play well without the ball.  But if you want to talk about belief, it’s difficult to see how Arsenal can lack it at the moment.

[BBC Football, Just Arsenal]

Well it certainly sounds like Owen Coyle will be moving the 25 or so miles to Bolton Wanderers to replace the sacked Gary Megson. After being given permission to talk to the Trotters, Coyle looks set to  become the manager of a club he served so well for two years between 1993 and 1995. By all accounts, it’s a done deal and Burnley will begin to look at who they will need to replace the excellent work that Coyle has started at Turf Moor.

Phil Gartside, the Bolton chairman has certainly acted quickly to replace Megson, but their are two things about this potential appointment I can’t get my head around. Firstly, people are saying he has more of an emotional attachment to Bolton than Burnley and secondly, why on earth is Burnley’s chairman Barry Kilby allowing Coyle to talk to them?

The second point perplexes far more than the first. Why has Kilby allowed Coyle to talk to Bolton so easily? For all the criticism of football players agitating for moves, football managers it seems can simply walk away from a contract for nominal fees. Coyle signed a contract extension in the summer after turning down Celtic that tied him down to Turf Moor until June 2013. Now an offer from Bolton Wanderers is more appealing than talking over Celtic?

Now no-one can tell me that the Bolton Wanderers job is anywhere near the level of being in charge of Celtic. It’s a non-starter without question especially right now. Burnley are two points ahead, although having played two games more than Bolton and Wanderers travel to the Emirates on Wednesday night for one of their games in hand.

Burnley fans are rightly scratching their heads thinking what on earth is going on and I can understand their confusion. Why has Kilby not put his foot down and simply pointed out to Coyle the 3 years left on his contract. Or is Bolton’s offer simply too good for Kilby to turn down? Yet for all the money that may be on the table from Bolton to take Coyle, who on earth could replace him?

The first point that I mentioned, the much vaunted emotional attachment, doesn’t add up either. As a player, Coyle played 74 games for Bolton and as of Saturday, he has managed Burnley for 113 games. So how can he have such an attachment that makes Bolton a more attractive prospect than Celtic or staying at Burnley? It’s something that I just can’t understand, which seems to echo the feelings of the majority of Clarets fan.

To be honest, a move to Bolton is more of a sideways move right now than a move up the managerial ladder. Bolton, since Allardyce left have drifted along in the lower echelons of the Premier League, whilst Burnley have been on an upward trajectory ever since Coyle landed. All the pre-season predictions, except for one idiot, pointed to Burnley being cannon fodder.

Yes, their away form has been abysmal, but it smacks of naivety more than a lack of ability. On Saturday, they were being tipped as a team that could be embarrassed by lower league opposition in the F.A. Cup, but in the end, the comfortably dealt with M.K. Dons. They’ve impressed many people this season and good luck to them. Ironically, it was Coyle’s behavior after that game that set tongues wagging.

By claiming he couldn’t go the the post match press conference as he needed to catch a flight to Scotland immediately after the game, people thought fair enough. Unfortunately, Coyle was then caught out by still being at Stadium M.K. an hour later. It was then that questions began to be asked and since then, no-one has become any the wiser as to what on earth is happening. Just a word of advice for Mr Kilby, whatever you do, don’t give Graeme Souness the job!