Former Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle has insisted that he would have led his side back to the Premier League this season if he hadn't been dismissed from his position.

The Scotsman was sacked from the club yesterday following a difficult start to the season, where the Trotters currently reside in 18th place.

"We understand we had to hit the ground running this year," Coyle told Sky Sports News. "It's not happened.

"People say 'is it too early?'. I certainly believe we'd have got promotion from the position we're in. But ultimately, the people who make the decision have decided it's not to be. They want to seek a fresh face."

Bolton have so far accumulated 11 points from 10 games in the Championship.