Bolton Wanderers: The Eagle Has Blanded

Article by e-Bolton Wanderers Correspondent Adam Brabbin

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For a player whose name lends itself so elegantly to headlines evoking images of soaring success, flying high, and swooping victories, Chris Eagles now finds his career going the way of the Dodo. This week saw the news that Eagles was in line for a loan spell away from the club, with championship rivals in the lower reaches of the league such as Charlton being said to have taken an interest in the midfielder who has fallen, so spectacularly out of favour with Bolton boss Dougie Freedman.

Lets not forget that it is still less than a year since Freedman named Eagles as his bastion of success amongst the Bolton ranks, claiming that it was his intention to build the team around him in order to bring to the fore Eagles natural attacking ability. So, where exactly did this plan go so horrendously awry? What has happened to the once talismanic midfielder?

What I found to be interesting about the whole situation was the overwhelming apathy that greeted the news. I know that in recent years, expectation and reality have become more and more distant in the minds of Bolton fans. These days we are much more accepting of disappointment and welcome unwelcome news like an old friend, knowing, as we do from experience, that calm waters are simply what happens before the storm hits. So, when the news arrived that Eagles would be shown the door, the Reebok faithful expressed their disinterest with a collective shrug. We expect bad news, and are routinely delivered it.

The bad news though, in this occasion, is the wasted potential of a promising footballer. Eagles arrived at the Reebok without fanfare and without the burden of expectation. Sure, he was of ex-United pedigree, but the same is true of Fabian Barthez and so many other resounding flops that have darkened the door of England's most famous club. He had nothing to prove but quickly became Boltons' most dangerous asset, undoubtedly one of the first names on the team sheet week after week he was starting to show just why Owen Coyle had brought him to the club. (Continues below....)

Fast forward six months and where do we find ourselves? A player who is more notable in his absence than he is on the pitch.

There is no doubt that Eagles once had the potential to be a good player, and at twenty eight years he still has a decent chance of carving a name for himself with another club, should he manage to rediscover his most captivating form. For Bolton? I would suggest, no. Eagles has proven to be a great source of entertainment in the three years he has spent with us, but (in place of a lady) Fat Frank looks to be getting to ready to sing the departure of the midfielder.

Tomorrow we play host to our favourite neighbour, Wigan, in the second local derby of the week. When last we played, earlier this season, Wigan had a serious case of 'new manager syndrome' (as so many of the teams we faced around that time appeared to). Admittedly, this seems to be a particularly strong case of NMS that has resulted in the following symptoms: inflated league position, recurring episodes of impressive football and overly inflated egos. Fortunately the remedy for this ailment is the application of one Bolton Wanderers to the affected area... a procedure Freedman, no doubt, will be only to happy to perform.

With Beckford making his long overdue return on home soil last Tuesday, the Bolton forward line is looking strong. The Bolton manager now faces a tough decision in regards to the most potent strike force that he has at his disposal, but this is a headache I am sure he is only to pleased to have.

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