Fulham v Bolton reaction

The Trotters lie rock-bottom of the table after a 2-0 defeat at Fulham in west London. Clint Dempsey and Bryan Ruiz netted the all-important first-half goals that condemned Bolton to a 13th defeat in 16 league games. Coyle apologised for his side's lacklustre performances and admitted the Trotters must start winning games soon. "My chairman and owner understand me," Coyle said. "They know exactly what I am doing at the football club and how we want proceed in the long term. "But equally I accept everything I put in for the longevity and future of the club has to be backed up by results in the Premier League. "And if we stay up, which I believe we will, Bolton Wanderers will be set the best they have been for years and going well as a business and everything else. "But we have to accept we are in a dogfight in a dangerous area of the league and we have to address that. "The only way of doing that is by winning games. "As a manager, I accept total responsibility for the games. I can understand people being disappointed and frustrated because I certainly am. "Everybody is entitled to their opinion in football. I have no problem with that unless people get personal." Coyle is second favourite with the bookies to become the next manager to leave his post, but has not come under the same personal scrutiny as other managers. Former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce and Blackburn's Steve Kean have been the most high-profile cases and Coyle has thanked the Bolton support for being more understanding. "I think the fans know how passionate I am about the football club and how much I care," he said. "I felt for our fans. We sold the allocation we had of 600 fans. They worked hard all week earning certainly far less than myself and my players. "They paid good money to travel to London on a bitterly cold day and support their team through thick and thin. "And that is what I have always said, that the one constant at any football club is the fans. "What they do know, certainly the majority, is that they have somebody there that is trying to do the very best for their club. "We have a good future but to do that in the short-term we need to be in the Barclays Premier League and so far it has not been good enough. "There is no getting away from that." Counterpart Martin Jol cut a far more relaxed figure in the post-match press conference after seeing his side secure three points. The Cottagers came into their 31st competitive match of season with added impetus after their exit from the Europa League in midweek. Martin Jol's side squandered a two-goal lead to eventually draw with Odense on Wednesday night, although there was to be no such comeback this afternoon. "We have had many good performances but the most important thing for us is the points," the Dutchman said. "After the disappointment of Wednesday it is always different to play against teams like Bolton and to get the points. "In the first half, I thought we did well, especially when we linked up with Mousa Dembele, Clint and Bryan Ruiz and slide balls into Andy Johnson. "That was a nice balance." Summer signing Ruiz was one of the afternoon's standout performers, setting up Dempsey and scoring an exquisite scooped effort. "I expect him to do what he did today because that is what he did on a weekly basis in Holland," Jol added. "Of course this is a different ball game here but I felt he did well over the last three or four games when he started, especially against Arsenal. "Last week when I moved him into midfield he was probably one of the best players on the pitch and today he was not perfect but he can set up goals and score them. "Like Everton and today, he can score the sort of goals that not many others can."