Milton Keynes Dons
After securing promotion, Paul
Tisdale’s side will prioritise
consolidation this season.
Verdict Bottom halfShrewsbury Town
A year after an improbable run to the
play-off final, the Shrews have a team
that can upset the odds again.
Verdict Play-off contendersPortsmouth
Despite Matt Clarke’s exit, Pompey are
strengthened by the arrivals of Marcus
Harness and Ross McCrorie.
Verdict ChampionsTranmere Rovers
Successive promotions have enthused
fans but the loss of goalscorer James
Norwood points to an uphill task.
Verdict Bottom halfLincoln City
The Cowley brothers have driven the
Imps upwards but may have to wait
to achieve a third promotion.
Verdict Play-off contendersRotherham United
A top-two challenge is within their
reach under Paul Warne, despite the
loss of Will Vaulks and Semi Ajayi.
Verdict Promotion challengersPeterborough United
Have invested in marquee signings like
Mo Eisa to complement their existing
abundance of attacking talent.
Verdict Promotion challengersSunderland
Failed to live up to last season’s tag of
favourites but their defence is stronger
after recruiting Jordan Willis.
Verdict Promotion challengersOxford United
Selling Curtis Nelson and Gavin
Whyte was a blow for Oxford, who
urgently require firepower up front.
Verdict Bottom halfSouthend United
Survived by the skin of their teeth on
the final day last season and face
another tough challenge this term.
Verdict Relegation candidatesRochdale
To surpass expectations, the Dale will
need Ian Henderson to extend his
enviable scoring record at this level.
Verdict Relegation candidatesWycombe Wanderers
On a tight budget, will be tough to
break down, but talk of incoming
investment has fuelled optimism.
Verdict Relegation candidatesSpurs insist
Pochettino
has big say
on transfers
By Matt Law
Tottenham have no plans to change
manager Mauricio Pochettino’s job
title, despite the Argentine’s sur-
prise suggestion that he should re-
vert to being the club’s head coach.
Chairman Daniel Levy will con-
tinue to work closely with Pochet-
tino to try to secure at least two
more signings ahead of the closure
of the transfer window next Thurs-
day, with the 47-year-old remaining
on the club’s transfer committee.
Pochettino’s title was changed
from head coach to manager when
he signed a new contract in 2016 and
said: “When I was head coach I was
involved in all aspects of the club
and now it’s still the same – only that
they want to nominate me manager.”
But on Tuesday night in Munich,
Pochettino appeared to intimate that
there is a difference between the two
roles and that his input over trans-
fers and contracts would be better
suited to the title of head coach. Po-
chettino said: “Maybe the club need
to change my title description now,
because my job now is to coach the
team. I am not in charge about the
individual situations.”
Telegraph Sport, however,
understands that Spurs do notexpect to change Pochettino’s title
and believe his role within the four-
man transfer committee, with Levy,
chief scout Steve Hitchen and head
of coaching and development John
McDermott, has not changed. Po-
chettino has a say on all transfers
and contracts, and was believed to
be heavily involved in the record
signing of Tanguy Ndombele and
the sale of Kieran Trippier.
Tottenham will not pursue a
signing without the agreement of
Pochettino, with Ryan Sessegnon
and Giovani Lo Celso heading up
the list of targets they are chasing.
Manchester United have moved to
the front of the queue for Totten-
ham target Paulo Dybala, the Juven-
tus forwarard. However, Pochettino
was given another headache last
night as Juan Foyth was carried off
on a stretcher in the closing stages of
the Audi Cup final with Bayern Mu-
nich, which Spurs won 6-5 on penal-
ties after the match ended 2-2, Erik
Lamela and Christian Eriksen scor-
ing in regular time.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid man-
ager Zinedine Zidane will speak to
Gareth Bale after the Wales striker
was apparently pictured playing
golf during Real Madrid’s Audi Cup
game with Tottenham on Tuesday
night. Former Tottenham player
Bale missed Real’s trip to Germany
after his proposed move to Chinese
club Jiangsu Suning fell through on
Sunday. “He has to look after his re-
sponsibilities,” said Zidane.Setback: Spurs
defender Juan
Foyth was carried
off on a stretcher in
Munich last nightrs and two are goalkeepers
out it was not just the players
suffering. The club also owned the
hotel attached to the stadium. He
was billeted there during the week
and got to know the staff. “I’d
imagine many of them were on
minimum wage, yet they weren’t
getting anything either. The
manager there told me she was
giving some of them money to buy
nappies for their kids because they
couldn’t afford them. There was a
food bank set up for the families.
For a club like Bolton to get to that
extreme, that’s disgraceful.”In the dressing room things were
getting fraught. Some players – like
Sammy Ameobi – walked out,
rightly pointing out the club was in
breach of their contract. Those left
were split on what action to take.
“A group of lads wanted to go on
strike. We managed to keep
everyone going for five, six weeks.
But it was all down to lies. We were
getting fed things from above
saying you’re going to be paid, so
that would defuse things. We’d all
say, right, it’s going to be sorted,
let’s get through this game. ThenMonday would come, no money. It
got to the point where everyone
was fed up. We decided to go on
strike for the second last game of
the season, against Brentford. We
were already down, so there was
nothing at stake. We thought it
would make enough noise to get
something sorted. We were wrong
about that, too.”
Even in the depths of despair,
however, Taylor, a bright, optimistic
character who has just completed a
masters degree in sports
directorship, says things turned soridiculous the only reaction was to
find the comedy.
Ahead of the final game of last
season away at Nottingham Forest,
the players assembled the night
before as they always did at the club
hotel. “Without notice they had
shut the place. Next morning,
there’s no team bus either, so
everybody just had to drive their
own cars to Nottingham. It was a
Championship game and it was like
going back to the Sunday League. If
you didn’t laugh, you’d weep.”
In May, the club went into
administration. Initially Taylor
thought that might deliver some
clarity. He was wrong.
“You’d think the administrators
would call us in for a meeting, set
out a process, keep us all in the
loop. Nothing. All summer it’s been
guessing games.
“People hear things and put it on
the WhatsApp group. The things
that have gone on that. If you read it
all the time you’d lose your mind.”
As footballing creditors, the law
states the players must eventually
be paid in full. That is if a buyer can
be found. As yet only charlatans
seem to be lining up.
And, since the administrators
have yet to sell any season tickets,
there is little sign of sufficient cash
flow for imminent payment of what
is due.
Most of the players, some
surviving on emergency loans from
the PFA, have been obliged to look
elsewhere. Taylor is searching for
another club. Though just turned 33
he is not confident. As for Bolton,
he has no inkling of what might
happen next.
“The gaffer is still there, but he
only has seven players. Say the
takeover does go through they’re
going to need another 14 players.
Where are they going to get them
from? It wouldn’t be the easiest sell:
come to a club heading for League
Two and by the way, you won’t be
paid.”
But it is not money ultimately
that most upsets him. What cuts
him to the quick is what has
happened to one of England’s
grandest old clubs. “People are
embarrassed to be a Bolton fan,
that’s the saddest thing,” he says. “A
football club should be a source of
pride in the community.
“Whatever happens next, the
first priority should be to bring the
pride back.”The Daily Telegraph Thursday 1 August 2019 ** 9
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