Head Coach Steven Schumacher says Wanderers are fully prepared for Saturday’s local derby against Wigan Athletic – and he’s calling on his players and the fans to create a fierce atmosphere at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Speaking ahead of the fixture, Schumacher said he knows exactly how much the match means to the club and its supporters:
“It’s a huge game. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s the biggest game of the season – at home to your local rival and at a stage of the season where we need to keep winning points. I’m excited for it and hopefully we’re ready.”
Having experienced this clash for the first time last season, the Boss says he’s under no illusions about the magnitude of the occasion.
“It wasn’t lost on me how important this derby is before I came to the club, and then to see it first hand – the passion between our fans and the Bolton supporters desperate to win, the atmosphere and intensity was really impressive. I’m expecting it to be the same this year.
“We’re coming up against an opponent with a good record at our place as well, so we’ll be doing everything we can to get the result we want.”
With a bumper home crowd expected, Schumacher believes the players must strike the right balance between emotion and discipline.
“We’ve got to tell the players how important the game is. The lads who haven’t played in it before will be fully aware of what’s at stake.
“You’ve got to use the atmosphere to your advantage but also stay calm when the game settles down. We know Wigan’s strengths, and we’ve identified areas where we think we can hurt them.
“They’ve had a good start and Ryan’s got them playing a way that suits the players he’s recruited. It’s not easy to play against – the balls coming into your box, runners from midfield, so we have to be fully prepared and try to create chances and be more clinical if we can.”
Over 25,000 fans are expected to pack the stadium on Saturday, something Wanderers will be looking to use to their advantage in the early kick off.
“The numbers in there will be great. We need to get the atmosphere going, show the commitment required in a derby game and set our stall out early.
“When the fans are behind us and stick with us it’s a powerful thing. If we can get that first goal it can be intimidating for Wigan – and that’s what we’ll need.”