Club's player-coach gives his assessment of the weekend's home defeat against AFC Bournemouth
Andy Hughes spoke to the media following Bolton's home defeat against Bournemouth. Below is a summary of what was said.
On the result…
It wasn’t the result we would have wanted but I got everything else I wanted from the game. Energy, endeavour, honesty, leadership from the senior players and, the biggest one for me, the fans getting behind the team. I feel like I got the best out of the lads today. I really did. The unfortunate thing was we lacked in the final third, but, as I’ve learned at this club in this town and from the fans, sometimes as long as you have a go they give it you back.
Every single player and member of staff who helped today could look each other in the eye today. Whoever comes in will look at that and take the positives. You are only as good as your last game and I thought we were good today.
We were unfortunate to lose the game, but I’m not going to groan. Bournemouth are a good team and they have a really good young manager and play really good football. They have got good players. We have good players too and we now need to get on with it. There is no point sulking. We need to hit it head on and attack this problem.
On what the club needs...
We need wins, it is as simple as that. We need to do whatever it takes to win.
Whoever is the next manager is going to inherit a pretty wonderful squad. We need someone to come in who is going to lift the lads. I think they were lifted today so the next manager is getting a driven, hungry bunch that are ready to work hard. The players are going to work hard for the town, work hard for each other, and first and foremost, work hard for themselves. That can go home each day, look at themselves in the mirror and think, ‘I’ve had a go today'.
Every player can go home today with their heads held high. They’ll take the positives from the game. There is only one way for this club and it is up.
On the reaction from the fans…
We are professionals. What someone else thinks of us and someone else does is none of our business. All we can do is do what we can for the supporters. Do whatever it takes to win games, to get performances, get people off their seats, get them talking on Monday.
We applauded the fans before we went out and after and it gave both the fans and the players a lift, and they stuck with us.
On his role at the club…
I am employed by the football club and today it was a great honour to be asked to lead the team. I was in the squad as a player on Friday then I get asked to help the club as an employee. I will do whatever is asked of me going forward and it has and will continue to be a very good experience. Whoever comes in here will be an extremely lucky man. If I was a high-class manager with this facility, the training ground, the academy, the town, the fans, I would be chomping at the bit to get the job. Not that I’m after the job. I’m just an old player coming to the end of my career. I’m learning to be a coach but it is a wonderful opportunity. If whoever comes in still wants my help still as a senior player then I’d be honoured to help.
On Mark Davies’ injury…
He felt his knee just before half-time. The lads are gutted for him because he has so much to offer this football club. We won’t know the extent of the injury until the medical staff are able to have a proper look at him.