Wigan Athletic offering 'stupid money' for players - Bolton boss

Bolton boss Ian Evatt has accused Wigan Athletic of offering 'stupid money' to players this summer.
Bolton boss Ian Evatt and his No.2 - Latics legend Peter AthertonBolton boss Ian Evatt and his No.2 - Latics legend Peter Atherton
Bolton boss Ian Evatt and his No.2 - Latics legend Peter Atherton

And he has also taken exception to Latics CEO Mal Brannigan's recent comments following George Johnston s decision to join Bolton from Feyenoord.

Johnston enjoyed a successful loan spell at the DW last term, and Latics had been keen to make the move permanent.

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Brannigan, though, acknowledged the club had gone as far as they could to keep Johnston - and Lee Evans, who opted to join Ipswich.

“Our offers were at the level we were happy with,” he said.

“Beyond that, if the offers are higher elsewhere, then so be it.

“Sometimes players move because they want to seek a different challenge, at a different point in their career.

“In terms of those two players (Evans and Johnston), and maybe others, that can happen."

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However, those seemingly harmless comments have clearly irked the Bolton manager.

“I read an article where the Wigan guy (Mal Brannigan) commented on George Johnston,” he told the Bolton News.

“We have been blown out of the water on one or two players that Wigan have offered stupid money to in League One, so I’m not really quite sure what he’s saying with how his move went.

“Some of the money I hear being spent around League One is crazy, but we are not going to do that. We are not that football club anymore.

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“But we are a big club with great assets like training ground, stadium, fanbase, history, and players want to buy into that. Sometimes it isn’t about finance."

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