
I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked, seeing Cian leave. After all, he was recently told by Michael that he wouldn’t stand in his way if a decent offer came his way.
He is another player we’ll see at the Bank too, as he’s joined League One new boys Northampton Town. It appears to be a deal without a fee, as expected, in order to reduce the wage bill. With Montsma, Walsh and Jackson as out and out centre backs, as well as Eyoma and Melbourne who can play there, there was always going to be a question mark over the former Fleetwood man. It’s still a shame, he looked decent against Salford and I just know my Dad is going to get on about losing another player he likes when I see him tomorrow night.
Keith Curle is chuffed though, and rightly so. He told his local media: “Cian is an experienced centre-back who knows his game and knows his strengths,” he said. “He is very competitive and is an all in type of character who is not afraid of the physical side of the game.
“Cian has played a lot of League One football over the last few seasons, he knows this level well, he knows what is required and is a very good competitor.”
Cian falls into the Sean Long and Scott Wharton category for me, a player who I think could have been good for the club, but he ended up as an unlucky loser. We have been blessed with decent centre backs for a while, Shacks was great first season, Bozzy, Raggs and Luke Waterfall all keeping the likes of James Wilson, Cian and Scott out of the team. I felt Bolger was one of our strongest performers last season and he has purely fallen foul of not being the type of defender MA wants. Bolger can tackle, head and challenge, but his passing wasn’t at the level MA wanted. When you’re playing out from the back you need a certain type of defender. I can’t help but feel Cian would have been a great squad player, but at the stage of his career he is at, we don’t need that.
So, that’s that. What more is there to say? Cian Bolger was part of the title-winning team, albeit for six months, plus he looked stable and steady last season. If I had a criticism it wasn’t his passing, rather the fact he didn’t threaten at set-pieces going forward like Luke and Raggs did and, hopefully, like Adam Jackson will. However, I won’t hear a word against Cian as a player, he showed exemplary attitude, was always eager and able when called upon and was a really nice bloke too, grounded and quiet. Transitional periods need players to move on sadly, and Cian is yet another victim of that process.
It looks like he’ll be sadly missed by these Imps fans on social media too.
https://mobile.twitter.com/chriskennealey/status/1296810908073721858
https://mobile.twitter.com/kicker150400/status/1296814367233716228
https://mobile.twitter.com/kevin_barwise/status/1296809547051474947
https://mobile.twitter.com/j_coey7/status/1296811275704557568
https://mobile.twitter.com/xLepebble/status/1296810767937830917
https://mobile.twitter.com/mrweasley93/status/1296809746473922561
https://mobile.twitter.com/Alex18845318/status/1296813114801954816
https://mobile.twitter.com/LiamKni00/status/1296809696125489155
https://mobile.twitter.com/LiamKni00/status/1296809696125489155
wow. this is turning into revolution rather than transformation in terms of both playing staff and playing style….i’m worried we are going to be ‘lightweight’ in terms of digging in and battling.
Hope its not an ‘Alan Clarke’ start to the season…..who knows – could be a great season
He was bound to leave. Not only has he been made aware that he will not be selected this season. He has been publicly humiliated. This is not good by any employment standard
Well said. The Appleton shit-eating speech about him being ‘a nice guy who needs opportunities’ was so everything it pretended not to be.
Another chunk of my faith in Appleton as a man and as a manager has gone. And there was little to begin with.
Thanks but no thanks, didn’t have the heart for it.
What a ridiculous comment.
Add Dickie to your list too. He is rumoured to be wanted by a few clubs and Oxfoerd stand to gain substantially.
And then there was Harry ! We have moved on havent we…in the right direction ?..we will know by Christmas!
Was only a ,matter of time before he left. Not MA’s type of a centre back. He wants ball paying defenders that can receive the ball on one touch and move it on with the next. Cian always took too many touches to control a ball. By the time he’d got in under control and looked up who to pass it to he’d been closed down and then played panicky passes to a team mate putting them under pressure or it went out for a throw in. We watched it happen so many times and also contributed to putting Shacks under pressure alot and his down turn in form. And like you say for a big bloke Cian offered surprisingly very little aerial threat at corners/free kicks in the opposing box. Didn’t seem to have the ability to attack the ball like Rags or Waterfall. Lovely bloke though, just not MA’s type of defender.
That’s an excellent analysis of Bolger’s failings and I am happy to see him replaced.
But I remain shocked by the way our manager tactlessly humiliated him in public. There are better ways of dealing with people.
All will be forgiven IF the massive personnel change results in success!
A very ruthless Appleton emerging, one that does seem to be for footballing and dare I say financial reasons. Bolger didn’t seem happy playing out from the back.
Time will tell, apprehensive but happy. The Cowley era is firmly consigned to the past as much as it was enjoyable let’s go make a new era with the new players. Hoping it is a good one from the actual football on offer.
Onwards and upwards – UTMI