Owen Coyle sacked as Bolton Wanderers manager

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Bolton Wanderers have sacked manager Owen Coyle.

The Trotters, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, are 18th in the Championship after winning only three of their 10 matches.

"I have always been driven to act in the best interests of the club," said Coyle. "I had fantastic times here as a player and it has been a privilege to have held the post of manager."

Chairman Phil Gartside added that it is "the right time for a change".

Coyle, whose side were beaten 2-1 at fellow strugglers Millwall on Saturday, commented: "I want to thank the fans for their backing since I returned, the chairman Phil Gartside and the owner Eddie Davies for their support and friendship and the club's staff and players for all their effort and commitment."

The 46-year-old took over at Bolton in January 2010, six months after guiding Burnley to promotion to the Premier League and consequently signing a contract extension at Turf Moor.

The Trotters went on to survive a relegation battle while Burnley went down.

In 2010-11 Bolton reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and finished 14th after spending much of the season in the top half of the table, but last season they were relegated, ending an 11-year spell in the top flight.

In March Bolton and Coyle were widely praised for the support they gave to Fabrice Muamba, after the midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest while playing against Tottenham Hotspur.

Following relegation it was revealed the club were carrying debts of £110m, mostly owed to Isle of Man-based owner Eddie Davies.

On Saturday Coyle described the defeat at Millwall as the lowest point of his managerial career but insisted he had no intention of resigning.

However, after meeting Davies and Gartside on Tuesday, he parted company with the club.

In a statement on the club websiteexternal-link, Gartside said: "Owen poured his heart and soul into the job, both on and off the pitch, and he led our club with great dignity during some very challenging times.

"We set a target at the beginning of the season and want to get back on track.

"I would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Owen, Sandy Stewart and Steve Davis for all their hard work during their time at Bolton Wanderers."

Academy manager Jimmy Phillips and head of academy coaching and development Sammy Lee will take joint temporary charge of the first-team squad.

Former Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is among the front-runners to replace Coyle.

Roy Keane, who guided Sunderland to promotion into the Premier League, is also regarded as a possible candidate.

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314 comments

  • Comment posted by Erol Umut, at 11:25 9 Oct 2012

    Steve Kean is looking for a job

  • Comment posted by Dutty_Sutty, at 11:38 9 Oct 2012

    As a Bolton fan, I take no pleasure in hearing this news. There was an unfortunate inevitability about it, though. Coyle had to go. Thought he could turn things around for us this season. Performances simply weren't good enough, however. Wish him all the best for the future, and I'm glad he left before the fans got on his back and the Reebok became like Ewood under Kean.

  • Comment posted by U1160406, at 11:17 9 Oct 2012

    I remember Arsenal fans calling for him to replace Wenger, not so long ago. I suppose as he is now free, Wenger could step down and let the main man take over?

  • Comment posted by CoalitionOfTheWilting, at 21:05 9 Oct 2012

    I blame Suarez.

  • Comment posted by tjt, at 12:32 9 Oct 2012

    "Roy Keane, who guided Sunderland to promotion into the Premier League, is also regarded as a possible candidate."
    ========================
    It just gets funnier and funnier. When will people realise that Roy Keane can't manage a football team.
    This is what he's best at.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_st29mlQwU
    and still ITV employs him as a pundit.
    Goes to show how low their standards are.

  • Comment posted by Nick, at 11:22 9 Oct 2012

    Mick McCarthy favourite? This the same Mick McCarthy who turned down forest because they weren't in the prem and didn't have enough money? Good luck with that...

  • Comment posted by U15454354, at 00:36 10 Oct 2012

    Jan 10 - Coyle walks out on Burnley to go to a bigger club sitting below Burnley in Premier League....Oct 12 the bigger club is still below Burnley but this time in the Championship....what goes around comes around...

  • Comment posted by collymonster, at 14:42 9 Oct 2012

    It is a results business and Owen Coyle's results have been poor. Hope Bolton have the sense to keep away from Roy Keane, who has few if any man management skills and sounds a total prat when he is a pundit.

  • Comment posted by drogstar33, at 14:19 9 Oct 2012

    @129.Tim

    " It could be argued that the goals of Sturridge in 2010/11 disguised the performance of a poor team."

    They were already playing well before Sturridge came in. What really finished them off was losing Matt Taylor, Elmander,Cahill and Holden and not getting any replacements. On top of that they lost Muamba. With all those players they were far from a poor side.

  • Comment posted by Andy, at 12:45 9 Oct 2012

    About time too. I feel sorry for Owen as he had a feel for the club as an ex player. However the other ex Burnley fools are a welcome relief, its a shame they came as a set with Coyle. Mick McCarthy for my money would shake up the obvious talent at the club, the return of Holden will help too.

  • Comment posted by deleted, at 12:39 9 Oct 2012

    Another few years of yo-yoing maybe for Bolton. They've probably already got their man, just waiting to sort stuff out. As for the debt - mostly owed to the owner and having debt is normal for most big businesses. More for tax reasons I'd guess. Nothing really to worry about.

  • Comment posted by U15454019, at 21:36 9 Oct 2012

    Owen to the abysmal run of form they had to Coyle it a day.
    El Tel perhaps?

  • Comment posted by U15405365, at 20:21 9 Oct 2012

    Roy Keane was a fine box to box midfielder, despite being an angry ruddy thug. Everyone remember him attacking a child in the park? But manager he is NOT

  • Comment posted by Eat_The_Rich, at 20:12 9 Oct 2012

    Can anyone explain to me how Roy Keane is being linked with this job given his abysmal track record in management? Last club his was in charge of was Ipswich and he sunk them without a trace!

  • Comment posted by U15454033, at 19:52 9 Oct 2012

    Why am i not sad Owen Coyle has been sacked......
    He gets Burnley to the Premiership and only stayed with them upto half way through the 1st season because a) he knew he couldn't keep them up and b) Bolton came calling for him and he jumped ship quicker than a rat up a drainpipe. contd

  • Comment posted by -ave it, at 14:29 9 Oct 2012

    Whatever the rights/wrongs of Coyle going, the man who should be getting sacked is Gartside. A clueless individual who when Bolton had chance of champions league football failed to back Big Sam in the transfer market. Look how many managers he has fired when things started to go wrong.

  • Comment posted by U15453488, at 14:00 9 Oct 2012

    what about alan curbishley?

  • Comment posted by U15453453, at 13:39 9 Oct 2012

    bolton fan here,let me just say owen coyle was an amazing person such caring and loving to bwfc,but it just wasnt working for him,tactically wrong,no defensive ideas what so ever,buying wrong players...

    TO MOST PEOPLE WHO FEEL THE NEED TO COMMENT ABOUT BOLTONS DEBT..

    bolton wanderers own the bank 10 million not 110million so please before mentioning it please read up!!

  • Comment posted by MrBlueBurns, at 13:32 9 Oct 2012

    #126 Robust Response

    All the while the main creditor (the owner) is 'happy' they will be ok. Their main cost will be wages. Any player contract should have clauses to allow for a drop in divisions. HMRC only take part of what you are contracted to pay in wages anyway. Businesses act as an agent for HMRC. It is never the businesses money and that's why HMRC get peed off!

  • Comment posted by U15296961, at 10:08 10 Oct 2012

    His Burnley success did not follow him to Bolton. Only at odd times has he ever seemed likely to be the answer to Trotters problems - and it will take a Magician to solve them ! Good luck to the next person into the Reebok Hotseat. He will need it - and some big money as well, which perhaps he might get. The Club is in dire financial straits and unable to buy itself out of trouble, the only cure.

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