Owen Coyle has urged young Bolton prospect Joe Riley to push on after he impressed on his Premier League debut last time out.
Manager warns Trotters youngster that hard work starts now
Owen Coyle has urged young Bolton prospect Joe Riley to push on after he impressed on his Premier League debut last time out.
The right-back enjoyed a first top-flight appearance to remember two weeks ago as the Trotters romped to a 5-0 demolition of Stoke.
The 20-year-old earned a standing ovation from the Reebok Stadium crowd when he was substituted late on.
That performance has ensured he will retain his place for Saturday's trip to West Brom, where another win would be enough to lift Bolton out of the bottom three.
Bringing through players from the Trotters' academy is something Coyle is very keen to do, and he is confident others will follow in Riley's footsteps.
Opportunity
The manager said: "He did himself a power of good in the Stoke City game and I've always said if players do well for me then they'll get that opportunity again.
"It's a boost for everybody at the football club, particularly the academy because they've worked hard. We're desperate to get our own young players coming through, and there's two or three others - Josh Vela, Adam Blakeman, Michael O'Halloran, Rob Lainton - Joe's not alone.
"We think there's a number of them that can have big careers and it's a question of bringing them in at the right time.
"Joe was ready to play, he got his opportunity and what he has to do now is kick on from that and not think he's arrived because he's played one good game. He's got to do that consistently, but it's great to see."
The thumping of Stoke lifted the pressure off Coyle's shoulders temporarily but he knows it will be straight back on should they lose to West Brom, who sit four places and two points ahead of them.
He said: "West Brom are a very good side led by a fantastic manager so we know we're in for a tough afternoon, but we also know we have good players and a very good team, and we have to go and show that and look to win the three points."
Coyle hailed the job done by his opposite number on Saturday, Roy Hodgson, who guided the Baggies to safety last season after a brief and difficult time at Liverpool.
Top-class
The Scot said: "He's a top-class manager and if he had been afforded more time at Liverpool then I'm sure he would have been a success but the nature of our jobs, people expect an instant return, particularly at the elite clubs.
"All credit to Roy, having had the disappointment of leaving Liverpool, he's bounced back quickly at West Brom and did a magnificent job last season when everybody thought they were going down, he sorted that out and he's continued that improvement.
"The great thing about Roy Hodgson, outside his football abilities, is he's a fantastic man and somebody I've got a lot of time for."
