Coyle hits out at players

A fourth defeat in five matches has just added to Wanderers' early-season problems and Coyle is frustrated the players are missing chances to help themselves out of trouble. Having equalised at West Brom on Saturday shortly after going behind in the first half he felt the team could have done more to get something out of the game before they conceded a second goal.

And Coyle told the Bolton News: "We bounced back from going a goal down and showed real character, real quality. That's my frustration, and it's killing me. Disappointment is an understatement. I'm angry because it was a good chance for us to get a positive result and get that unbeaten run going - a win, a draw, whatever it takes."

He added: "And I have said to the players that they can not let this type of opportunity pass them by."

Coyle has questioned the character and fighting spirit within the squad as the team have gone 22 league matches without registering a draw.

"It's all very well when players are saying this and that, but the testament to anyone's character is when you go out there on that pitch and you're under the cosh, you need your big leaders to organise and be resilient," he added.

"If you are compact and focused, the minimum you leave with is a draw - but we didn't have enough of them to do that.

"I said to them 'As long as I know when you come to work every day that you do your very best then you can look yourself in the mirror'.

"I don't mean when they are with their pals and they pat them on the shoulder and say they did okay.

"They need to sit and analyse that and see if they feel they did their best in the second half. I'm not so sure that we all did."

Source: PA

Source: PA