Coyle looking forward

14 January 2011 13:30
Owen Coyle believes the hardest work is still to come as he begins his second year as Bolton manager. Coyle has overseen a huge transformation of the Trotters' fortunes since quitting Burnley to take charge at the Reebok Stadium last January. The former Wanderers striker inherited a team involved in a relegation struggle but 12 months later they are a healthy seventh in the Barclays Premier League. The 44-year-old has also changed the image of a team which had acquired a reputation for physical and direct football under previous managers Sam Allardyce and Gary Megson. Coyle said: "We've done a lot of hard work and we're pleased with where we are but we recognise the hard work continues. "We can't affect what we have done over the past year but we can look back and see there were a lot of things we enjoyed doing. We have to continue in that vein and look to push the club forward. There was a perception of how the club played their football and ultimately if somebody gives you that name sometimes it can stick. "It seemed to be hanging over the football club for a number of years. What we had to do was add our own style, have more than one dimension to our play, different facets. We are trying to do that but we are still not near where we want to be. "Piece by piece we are looking more pleasing on the eye but we recognise as well that if we need to get it to our strikers early we do that. We try to mix and match our style of play and by doing that hopefully we cause the opposition problems. But it is very much a work in progress and I must stress all the hard work is in front of us."

Source: PA