Let's Hang On

Wigan struggling to adjust to life in the Championship – Wigan Athletic 2 Middlesbrough 2

Posted on August 25, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Jordi Gomez – superb free kick

A late equaliser by substitute Jordi Gomez saved a point for Wigan after they had been outplayed by Middlesbrough for long periods.

Latics had taken the lead through a Grant Holt penalty, after Marc-Antoine Fortune was brought down. Boro defender George Friend made amends for giving away the penalty by equalising just before half-time.

Grant Leadbitter then put the visitors in front after some poor defending by James McArthur, but Gomez’s superbly driven free-kick six minutes from time secured Wigan a precious point.

Wigan were missing star man Shaun Maloney after he was injured in the 2-2 draw with Doncaster in mid-week and manager Owen Coyle opted for a strike force of Grant Holt and Marc-Antoine Fortune in a 4-4-2 formation.

Wigan started brightly and had strong claims for a penalty waved away by the referee David Coote when Friend barged Fortuné in the back as he went to shoot.
But Boro could have no complaints in the 16th minute when Coote pointed to the spot, with the same two players involved. Friend had clearly grabbed Fortune’s shirt and Holt made no mistake from the resulting penalty.

Soon afterwards Holt went down in the box under a heavy challenge from Jonathan Woodgate but referee Coote was reluctant to give another penalty.

Boro were now threatening on the break and their number nine Lukas Jutkiewicz twice forced excellent saves from Scott Carson.

As the half progressed Wigan’s midfield was looking increasingly ragged with Chris McCann, James McCarthy and James McArthur struggling to compete with their Boro counterparts. It was no surprise when Boro got back into the game just before the interval. Friend got the better of McArthur down the left and cut into the area before unleashing a low shot past Carson and into the far corner of the net.

It was no more than Boro deserved for their enterprising play and it should have been a wake up call to Wigan.

But the second half continued in similar fashion with Boro looking the more likely to score and they almost took the lead when Adomah cut inside Stephen Crainey only to see his shot saved by the legs of Carson.

Grant Holt limped off for Latics on 64 minutes with a knee injury to be replaced by James McClean.

Boro took the lead on 74 minutes when Adomah’s cross was finished off by Leadbitter and it looked as though they would go onto secure all three points.

Yet Wigan managed to snatch a draw with only six minutes remaining, substitute Roger Espinoza was fouled on the edge of the area and Gómez stepped up to fire a splendid free kick past Steele in the Boro goal.

Even in injury time substitute Marvin Emnes nearly won it for Boro, but his shot hit the side-netting and luckily for Latics the points were shared.

Following relegation, a change in manager, player departures and ten new signings early season was always going to be a transitional period for Wigan. But Owen Coyle will be concerned that the team have only secured one win in four matches. They have only played well in patches and some of the defending has been pretty dire.

Posted in George Friend, Grant Holt, Grant Leadbitter, Jordi Gomez, Middlesbrough, Wigan Athletic | Tagged George Friend, Grant Holt, Grant Leadbitter, Jordi Gomez, Wigan Athletic | 1 Comment

Latics fight back to salvage a point – Wigan Athletic 2 Doncaster Rovers 2

Posted on August 20, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Shaun Maloney scored a superb free kick

A dramatic 90th minute equaliser by Leon Barnett secured a share of the spoils for Wigan after they had trailed 2-0 to Doncaster at half time. Somewhat against the run of play the Yorkshiremen had stunned the home crowd with goals by Theo Robinson and Chris Brown.

But following the introduction of Marc-Antoine Fortune and Jean Beausejour in the second period the Latics were much improved. After Fortune was brought down in front of goal, Shaun Maloney stepped up to produce an exquisite free kick to pull a goal back and then came the late equaliser by Barnett.

The FA Cup holders started the game strongly and attacked the visitors with some vigour. Grant Holt headed over the crossbar and then had a near-post volley saved by Rovers goalkeeper Ross Turnbull.

The Ex-Norwich striker Holt, felt he should have been awarded a penalty after he was bundled to the ground by Doncaster right-back Reece Wabara but referee Boyeson waved away the appeals.

Wigan were causing numerous problems for the Rovers defence and Chris McCann broke through only to fire straight at Turnbull, and then Shaun Maloney’s cross-shot came off the far post.

But Doncaster took a shock lead on 25 minutes when Robinson turned adroitly in the penalty box to fire past Scott Carson. Wigan were still having the majority of possession but Rovers doubled their lead on 43 minutes when Brown nodded in Bongani Khumalo’s cross from close-range.

Some of the home ground booed off the team at half-time and no doubt manager Owen Coyle issued some stern words to the players in the dressing room.

But almost from the restart Rovers nearly increased their lead when Khumalo crashed a header against the post. It was a major let off for the Latics as they set about trying to reduce the deficit.

Shaun Maloney started to pull the strings as Wigan went in search of a goal and it was the little Scotsman who pulled a goal back on 57 minutes with a superb free kick curled into the corner of the net.

Wigan increased the pressure on the Rovers goal and created numerous opportunities but partly due to some poor finishing and last-ditch defending they survived until the 90th minute when Barnett stepped up to score the vital equaliser.

Even then the drama was not quite over as Rovers nearly snatched an unlikely winner when substitute Billy Paynter hit the woodwork.

Despite having the lions share of possession and creating more chances than their opponents Wigan will be relieved to have taken a point from a game they could easily have lost.

The club have had a mixed start to their Championship season with an emphatic win at Barnsley and two disappointing results against promoted sides Bournemouth and now Doncaster. Owen Coyle will be particularly frustrated by the poor defending which has resulted in a lower than expected points tally. The manager will be expecting a significant improvement in this area for the upcoming home matches against Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest.

Posted in Chris Brown, Doncaster Rovers, Leon Barnett, Shaun Maloney, Theo Robinson, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Chris Brown, Doncaster Rovers, Leon Barnett, Shaun Maloney, Theo Robinson, Wigan Athletic | 2 Comments

Wigan get rude Championship awakening – Bournemouth 1 Wigan Athletic 0

Posted on August 18, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Any Latics fans who expected the team to cruise through the Championship got a shock on Saturday as recently promoted Bournemouth deservedly won 1-0 at the Goldsands Stadium. Lewis Grabban’s goal on 43 minutes following a poor back pass by James Perch gave the Cherries all three points but Wigan’s below par performance will be worrying for the fans. The defeat was further compounded by Callum McManaman’s red card. The young winger had only been on the pitch for three minutes as a substitute, when he was controversially dismissed.

The defeat could have been even worse if it was not for the heroics of keeper Scott Carson who saved a Brett Pitman penalty and pulled off several top quality saves to deny the home side.

The first half started in wet conditions with both sides struggling to get a foothold in the game. Although James McCarthy did have a shot tipped over from distance, and Ben Watson headed over following a corner, it was the Cherries Scottish winger Ryan Fraser who was providing the biggest threat, firing in some dangerous crosses from the right.

The home team took the lead just before half time following a sloppy piece of play by James Perch. The former Newcastle United man played a back pass from his own half which gave Lewis Grabban the perfect opportunity to pounce and round Carson before slotting the ball home.

Bournemouth nearly increased their lead early in the second half when Jean Beausejour clumsily caught Pitman on the edge of the box and referee Graham Scott pointed to the spot, but Carson produced an excellent full length save to deny Pitman.

Owen Coyle made a positive double substitution on 56 minutes bringing on James McClean for Beausejour and Callum McManaman for James McArthur, but the substitution backfired when McManaman was red carded after only three minutes on the pitch. The young Liverpudlian lunged to win the ball but also caught Pitman with his follow through and referee Scott decided the tackle was worthy of a straight red card. The reaction of the Bournemouth players and management probably contributed to the dismissal, but McManaman should take some of the blame for such a reckless challenge.

With only ten men Wigan struggled to pose a threat to the Cherries goal, but Leon Barnett did manage to get a header on target but his effort was blocked on the goal line by Marc Pugh.

Grant Holt was ineffectual and the normally industrious Latics midfield looked off the pace. But despite Wigan’s failings Bournemouth deserve credit for not giving Wigan time on the ball and responding positively to the 6-1 defeat to Watford in their last game.

Wigan certainly had an off day but the result also reinforces the view that there are no easy games in the Championship and the team will have to improve significantly if they are to mount a challenge for promotion.

Owen Coyle will be aware that the club are entering a critical phase in the season with three home games coming up against Doncaster, Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest and the closure of the transfer window on September 2nd. McCarthy, Maloney, Beausejour and McManaman have all been the subject of transfer speculation and several Premiership clubs will be looking enviously at Wigan’s midfield. If the club can get through this period with a good points return and not lose any key players the manager will be a very relieved man.

Posted in Bournemouth, Callum McManaman, Lewis Grabban, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Bournemouth, Callum McManaman, Lewis Grabban, Scott Carson, Wigan Athletic | 2 Comments

Robin Van Persie is the difference – Wigan Athletic 0 – Manchester United 2

Posted on August 12, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Matchwinner Robin Van Persie

Two goals by Robin Van Persie secured a first trophy for David Moyes as United overcame Latics in the Community Shield. Wigan were competitive throughout and matched their local rivals for long periods but it was the quality of Van Persie which was the difference between the two sides.

The Dutchman gave United the lead on six minutes when he rose to meet a cross by Patrice Evra and headed powerfully past Scott Carson. The second goal came after the break when Van Persie’s shot was deflected by James Perch out of the reach of Carson.

United were firm favourites to overcome Championship Latics, but the underdogs looked comfortable particularly either side of half time. Owen Coyle’s team might have secured an equaliser when both Grant Holt and James McClean wasted good opportunities.

United had started the half on top with Ryan Giggs playing a central role, but it was Latics who ended the half looking the more likely to score. Debutant James McClean twice putting in testing balls across the face of goal which Holt could not reach. Emmerson Boyce and then Leon Barnett had chances to head at goal, but could not capitalise.

Wigan started the second half as they had finished the first but once again struggled to take advantage of good build up play. Just when it was looking promising for the underdogs, that man Van Persie struck again in the 59th minute. The Dutchman was allowed to turn on to his left foot and fire in a low shot which took a deflection off James Perch and wrong-footed Carson.

The second goal was sufficient to secure United the victory, as both teams made numerous substitutions in the second period, and this disrupted the flow of play. Despite the defeat Latics should not be too despondent as they matched the Premier League Champions for long periods, and it is unlikely that they will come up against a player of the quality of Robin Van Persie in the Championship.

Posted in Community Shield, Manchester United, Robin Van Persie, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Community Shield, Manchester United, Robin Van Persie, Wigan Athletic | 1 Comment

Latics start season with emphatic win – Barnsley 0 Wigan Athletic 4

Posted on August 3, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Blue skies over Barnsley

Wigan Athletic kicked off their Championship campaign with a 4-0 demolition of Barnsley at Oakwell. Owen Coyle’s team were dominant throughout and showed both commitment and quality against an initially combative Yorkshire outfit.

Ben Watson opened the scoring with a precise twenty-five yard drive on 37 minutes and Grant Holt was on hand to deflect Emmerson Boyce’s shot for 2-0, before Barnsley’s recent signing from Bayern Munich, Dale Jennings was dismissed for a stamp on James McArthur.

Wigan’s dominance was further demonstrated by a debut goal for Leon Barnett and a sublime passing move which was well finished by Shaun Maloney.

In brilliant sunshine Latics started the 2013/14 season in fine form and pressed the home team back into their own half. Jean Beausejour’s left-wing cross reached Shaun Maloney and the Scotsman’s shot was saved by Luke Steele’s legs in the Barnsley goal.

Wigan gained a deserved lead when new signing Stephen Crainey set up Watson twenty-five yards out and the accomplished midfielder placed his shot in the bottom corner.

Soon afterwards he showed similar quality by penetrating the Barnsley defence and releasing Maloney. The Scot tried to find the unmarked Holt but his pass was uncharacteristically heavy and the ball fell to Beausejour who skewed his shot wide

However, the Chilean delivered the corner for the second goal, Watson first flicked it on and Boyce’s shot was deflected by Holt into the net.

Barnsley’s response to Wigan’s supremacy was to introduce new signing Dale Jennings from Bayern Munich, but he only lasted five minutes when a two-footed challenge on James McArthur was deemed worthy of a red card by the referee Geoff Eltrigham.

Wigan preceded to make the man advantage count by passing the ball to great effect and it was no surprise when the lead was doubled. First Barnett added Wigan’s third goal following a corner and then Maloney completed the rout with a tap-in after fine work from substitute Marc-Antoine Fortuné.

It was an enjoyable and satisfying start to Latics Championship campaign but the fans should be aware that there will be more difficult and challenging games ahead.

Posted in Ben Watson, Grant Holt, Leon Barnett, Shaun Maloney, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Ben Watson, Grant Holt, Leon Barnett, Shaun Maloney | 3 Comments

Wigan Athletic Season Preview 2013/14

Posted on July 31, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Wigan fans at the FA Cup Final

The new season is nearly upon us and Wigan’s first game in the Championship will be away at Barnsley on Saturday. As a precursor to the new campaign I was asked by When Saturday Comes magazine to give my views on Latics prospects for 2013/14.

My responses are published below.

1. Realistically, how will you do?

Despite being a small club, relegation to the Championship was quite a shock for the fans after eight seasons in the Premier League. The club has experienced massive change in the close season, with Roberto Martinez, and his backroom staff and many of the star players leaving. However, new manager Owen Coyle has lost no time in recruiting new players. Juan Carlos Garcia, Grant Holt, Marc-Antoine Fortune, James Perch, Scott Carson, Stephen Crainey, Thomas Rogne and Chris McCann should all perform well at this level.

The worry is that we have lost too many top quality players and it will take some time for all the new recruits to settle before we can mount a challenge for promotion. However, Coyle does know the Championship well and he achieved a quick promotion with Burnley in 2009. So I’m predicting that we will make the play-offs (but would love to think that we could go up automatically).

2. Which teams did you like and dislike most last season?

Bradford City and their fans were great last season. They deservedly knocked us out of the League Cup on penalties and went on to reach the final. A brilliant achievement for a team from League Two.

Can’t say that I have much time for QPR, the club seems to be run by people who don’t really understand football and think they can just buy success.

3. What was the best moment of last season?

Winning the FA Cup is the greatest achievement in our history. When I started supporting Wigan as a non-league team I never in my wildest dreams expected them to win the FA Cup. The Wigan story is a modern-day football fairytale. A small town club that only entered the Football League in 1978 and had never previously gone beyond the FA Cup quarter-finals winning the most famous domestic cup competition in the world.

It is a remarkable achievement in the context of the money dominating the modern game. Our success might just have restored football fans faith in the FA Cup and given hope to clubs throughout the football pyramid.

4. What was the worst moment of last season?

Relegation was a big disappointment but it was certainly softened by the FA Cup win and the Europa League qualification.

5. What is you club’s great contribution to football history? (ie doesn’t have to be a serious one)

We are the first team ever to win the FA Cup and be relegated in the same season. We are also the first team ever to appear in all of the domestic cup finals: the FA Trophy, Football League Trophy, League Cup and FA Cup.

6. We’d like your prediction for next season’s League table.

My Predicted Championship League Table

1. Reading
2. Brighton
3. Watford
4. Nottingham Forest
5. Wigan
6. Bolton
7. QPR
8. Ipswich
9. Leicester
10. Leeds
11. Barnsley
12. Charlton
13. Huddersfield
14. Derby
15. Middlesbrough
16. Blackpool
17. Bournemouth
18. Burnley
19. Blackburn
20. Doncaster
21. Sheffield Wednesday
22. Birmingham
23. Millwall
24. Yeovil

The WSC 2013-14 Season Guide previewing the four English divisions, the Scottish Premiership and Conference round-up is available from newsagents price £3.50 or via the When Saturday Comes website.

Posted in Chris McCann, Grant Holt, James Perch, Juan Carlos Garcia, Marc-Antoine Fortune, Scott Carson, Stephen Crainey, Thomas Rogne, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Chris McCann, Grant Holt, James Perch, Juan Carlos Garcia, Marc-Antoine Fortune, Scott Carson, Stephen Crainey, Thomas Rogne | 1 Comment

The Magnificent Seven?

Posted on July 9, 2013 by ianhaspinall

The Magnificent Seven

In the space of the last ten days Wigan manager Owen Coyle has made seven signings. Despite the club undergoing massive change, with Roberto Martinez, his backroom staff and many of the star players leaving, Coyle has lost no time in recruiting quality players to bolster his squad. Grant Holt, Marc-Antoine Fortune, James Perch, Scott Carson, Stephen Crainey, Thomas Rogne and Chris McCann have all been added in quick time. In this piece we look at the seven players in more detail and assess their potential roles as Latics attempt to make a quick return to the Premier League.

It is no coincidence that nearly all of the players recruited so far have Championship experience, and in the case of Carson, Crainey, Holt and McCann, all have achieved promotion to the Premier League from the Championship.

Chris McCann

Coyle’s first signing was Midfielder Chris McCann from Lancashire rivals Burnley.
The 25-year-old was signed on a free transfer and reunited with the manager who worked with him as Clarets boss.

A number of clubs from the Championship were believed to be interested in McCann, but Wigan won the race for his signature.

Coyle said,

“He’s a powerful, attacking midfielder who scores goals, plays from box-to-box and isn’t scared to put his foot in when it comes to winning the ball back.

I had the pleasure of working with him at Burnley, and on a number of occasions we turned down some big-money bids for him, such was his importance to the team and the integral role he played in helping the club win promotion to the Premier League at a young age.

He’s still young in football-terms, has plenty to offer and I hope to see him playing a big role at Wigan Athletic.”

McCann made 238 league appearances for Burnley between 2005 and 2013 and scored 27 times, following his arrival from Home Farm.

The Irishman was part of the Burnley team that won promotion to the top flight in 2009 and he will be hoping to repeat the achievement with Latics in 2013/14.

Thomas Rogne

Another signing on a free transfer was the 23-year-old centre-back Thomas Rogne. The highly regarded Norwegian international signed a three-year contract at the DW Stadium after his contract with Celtic expired.

Rogne has two senior caps, as well as helping Norway to the Under-21 European Championship semi-finals this summer.

His career has been plagued by injury, he suffered cruciate ligament damage in 2008 and missed a full season with his Norwegian club Stabaek. His time at Celtic was also troubled by injury and he only made 50 appearances during his 3 seasons at Celtic Park.

Rogne’s signing is something of a calculated risk by the Wigan manager. The big Norwegian certainly has the potential to become a top defender, Ex-Celtic player Vidar Riseth described him as “the best young talent to come out for Norway in the past ten years”. But he must stay fit and avoid any recurrence of his previous injuries, if he is to reach his full potential.

Stephen Crainey

Wigan acquired full-back Stephen Crainey on a free transfer from Championship rivals Blackpool. The Scotland international joined on a one-year contract after turning down the chance of another season with the Seasiders.

It is likely that Crainey will take up the left back position vacated by Maynor Figueroa who signed for Hull City.

The former Celtic, Southampton and Leeds United defender will no doubt be looking forward to linking up with the rest of Wigan’s Scottish contingent.

Crainey has been a mainstay in the Blackpool defence during their time in the Premier League and Championship making 214 appearances and scoring 4 goals.

The addition of Crainey looks like a good short-term solution to Wigan’s left back position. The 32-year-old’s experience in the Championship could be invaluable. He helped the Tangerines win promotion to the Premier League in 2010, and he will be hoping to be part of another promotion winning team in 2013/14.

Scott Carson

Another signing to strengthen the defence is former England international goalkeeper Scott Carson from Turkish side Bursaspor for a fee of around £700,000. Reports suggest that Carson was performing well for his club side, but wanted to return to England for personal reasons.

He will now compete with Ali Al-Habsi (who is currently injured) for the number one jersey after signing a three-year contract.

The 27-year-old Cumbrian won the last of his four England caps in 2011, and has played in the Premier League for five different clubs including Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Carson is another player who has previously won promotion to the Premier League with another club, West Bromwich Albion in his case.

Competition for the goalkeeping jersey should prove beneficial to Latics as they try to regain their top flight status.

James Perch

The signing of Newcastle defender James Perch, for a fee in the region of £700,000, was quite a surprise to Newcastle’s fans. ‘Perchinho’ played 37 games for the Magpies last season and many were surprised when the new Director of Football, Joe Kinnear, allowed him to leave.

The right footed 27-year-old, who began his career at Nottingham Forest before joining the Magpies in 2010, has agreed a four-year contract with the Latics.

Mansfield-born Perch played 80 times for Newcastle, his only goal coming at Manchester United last season.

Perch previously helped Forest win promotion from League One to the Championship by claiming the runners-up spot in the third tier.

Perch is a versatile player who gives 100 per cent and can be used in defence or in midfield and is another astute signing by the Wigan manager.

Marc-Antoine Fortune

Wigan’s strike force was reinforced by the well-travelled striker Marc-Antoine Fortune, signed a two-year deal at the DW Stadium following his move from West Bromwich Albion. The French forward began his career in France with Angouleme in 1998, before joining Lille four years later, going on to spend time with Rouen (loan), Stade Brest, Utrecht, and Nancy before moving to the UK.

Fortune signed for West Brom in 2010, having already spent time on loan at the club during the 2008/09 season. In total he made 80 league appearances for the Baggies either side of a year at Parkhead with Celtic, whom he joined from French side Nancy.

The 6ft striker also has Championship experience following his short loan spell at Doncaster Rovers in 2011.

The 32-year-old had reportedly been coveted by a number of clubs following his exit from The Hawthorns at the end of last season.

Coyle was very pleased with his acquisition, saying:

“To bring a player of such calibre to the football club is a great piece of business.

He’s shown his qualities at the very highest level, and when I spoke to Steve Clarke at West Brom he told me how he didn’t want to lose him, which goes to show how important he has been at his former club and proof that he has the capabilities to be a Premier League forward, never mind a Championship one.”

The big striker could be a useful addition to the Wigan squad, particularly if Owen Coyle goes with the 4-4-2 formation that he has used in the past.

Grant Holt

The signing of striker Grant Holt for £2m from Norwich City was quite a coup for the club.

Coyle was clearly delighted to have added the 32-year-old to his squad. He said,

“This is a fantastic piece of business for us at a really good price.”

Grant is a proven goalscorer at every level and he will definitely bring something new to the table that we were missing in the squad.

There is already a great buzz about the place since the new boys have started coming through the door and this is another one that will really lift the place.

He’s been a hero to the fans at every club he’s been and I know the Norwich fans are sad to see him go, he’s been one of the icons of their success in recent years. But now it’s the Wigan fans’ turn to enjoy him and we’re all delighted he’s coming on board.”

Holt scored 78 goals in his four years in Norfolk, including 15 league goals in Norwich’s first season back in the top flight in 2011/12, and scored eight Premier League goals last term.

During the Canaries’ first season in the Premier League, the centre forward scored 15 goals to finish the campaign as the division’s second highest English scorer, behind Wayne Rooney.

Holt has won his fair share of personal honours which include Player of the Year awards with Nottingham Forest, Shrewsbury Town and with Norwich on three consecutive occasions between 2009 and 2012.

He has been named in three PFA Teams of the Year, for the Championship, League One and League Two.

Holt is renowned as a fierce competitor, he is a proven goalscorer, with an excellent record in both the Premier League and Championship.

Norwich fans were full of praise for him and suggested that we got a bargain for around £2 million. If he goes onto score 15 or 20 goals, his signing will be regarded as masterstroke by the Wigan manager.

Verdict: Owen Coyle is building a squad capable of challenging for the top places in the Championship.

Posted in Chris McCann, Grant Holt, James Perch, Marc-Antoine Fortune, Owen Coyle, Scott Carson, Stephen Crainey, Thomas Rogne, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Chris McCann, Grant Holt, James Perch, Marc-Antoine Fortune, Owen Coyle, Scott Carson, Stephen Crainey, Thomas Rogne, Wigan Athletic | 2 Comments

What are the prospects for Owen Coyle at Wigan?

Posted on June 24, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Challenging times ahead for Owen Coyle?

Owen Coyle faces some significant challenges if he is to get Wigan Athletic back into the Premier League at the first attempt. The former Bolton boss has taken over from FA Cup winning manager Roberto Martinez in difficult circumstances. Following relegation the Latics have already lost several out of contract players and may lose some of their star names before the new season commences on 3^rd August.

Coyle’s appointment as manager was not well received by some fans. Appointing the former manager of your nearest rivals is a risky strategy by Wigan owner Dave Whelan and if the season does not start well the fans could make the new manager’s job even more difficult.

Roberto Martinez was a very likeable manager and his achievement in winning the FA Cup and his victories against all the top Premier League outfits makes him a difficult act to follow. The shorts wearing Scotsman could soon be framed in sharp contrast to the smartly dressed and media friendly Spaniard.

Martinez created an attractive playing style during his four seasons in charge. He was one of the first managers to introduce the Spanish playing style into the English Premier League, convincing many that if the club was to progress, this was the right way to play. However, the new manager is likely to impose a new style of play on the Latics players, and it could take some time for Coyle’s preferred formation of 4-4-2 to bed in.

Coyle was successful in gaining promotion with Burnley in 2009, but he had a mixed time at the Reebok, following his acrimonious move from the Clarets, achieving a 14^th place finish in 2010/11. During his second season in charge they struggled and were relegated to the Championship in May 2012. After a poor start to the Championship campaign, Coyle’s time at the Reebok Stadium came to an end in October 2012. During his time at Bolton he had a win rate of 33%. During 126 games in charge he won 42, drew 24 and lost 60.

Some critics have pointed out that Bolton fell into disrepair during the latter part of Coyle’s tenure. Dougie Freedman’s successful approach since he arrived from Crystal Palace has only served to accentuate the former manager’s failings at the Reebok. Coyle’s approaches to training, organisation, recruitment and injury prevention have all been criticised by the Trotters fans. The Glaswegian now has the not inconsiderable of task of proving his critics wrong, reviving his career and getting Wigan promoted.

It is looking likely that Martinez will take the out of contract Antolin Alcaraz to Goodison Park and it may be that he will return of some of his other stars. Coyle must therefore do everything in his power to resist the temptation to cash in on his best players. The Spaniard has already taken his backroom staff to Everton, so Coyle should be careful not to allow the flow of players out of the club to become a hemorrhage.

He should also be careful with who he appoints onto his coaching staff at Wigan. Some might say that it was the coaching staff who played a part in Coyle’s downfall at Wanderers and it was when the subject of bringing in Sammy Lee to the first-team set-up was raised that the cracks started to appear in Coyle’s regime.

Because Wigan have such a high number of fixtures in the Championship plus Europa League and cup games, Coyle is likely to need at least 9 or 10 players to rejuvenate the squad and mount a serious challenge for promotion.

Attracting players of the right quality will be crucial. Coyle has previously made mistakes in the transfer market with players such as Marvin Sordell and Matt Mills but he has also had successes in the loan market with Jack Wilshere and Dean Sturridge.

The Scotsman’s strength lies in man motivation and, at his best, an ability to get the best out of younger players. Wigan already have some exciting young players such as Callum McManaman, and Fraser Fyvie, and Coyle will no doubt want to add to the youthful profile.

Bolton’s demise was partly blamed on a dreadful run of injuries and misfortune that seemed to follow the club, with Stuart Holden out for a long period and Fabrice Muamba’s heart attack being the most obvious ones.

The confidence sapping 5-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat against Stoke City in April 2011 also had a significant impact on Wanderers fortunes. After the Wembley nightmare nothing was quite the same, and the confidence and organisation the manager had instilled into his players began to leak away. Building confidence is a big part of the Owen Coyle’s agenda as a manager and if that confidence takes a knock, as it did after the 5-0 defeat by Stoke, it becomes difficult to regain the confidence of his players.

The Championship is a notoriously difficult division, but one factor which should assist Coyle’s task at Wigan, is the high number of Scots in the squad. Gary Caldwell, James McArthur, Shaun Maloney, Fraser Fyvie and James McCarthy (born in Scotland but represents Republic of Ireland), should all make him feel at home.

Coyle does have unwavering positivity – despite some failings, he remains convinced he can succeed. He has a strong work ethic and knows what it takes to get a team promoted from the Championship. If he can convince key players such as Arouna Kone, James McCarthy, Shaun Maloney and Callum McManaman that their future lies with the Latics then the prospects will look much brighter.

Posted in Championship, Owen Coyle, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Championship, Owen Coyle, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | Leave a comment

2013/14 fixtures announced – Barnsley first up for Latics

Posted on June 19, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Wigan will be hoping for a quick return to the Premier League

Wigan Athletic’s first game in the 2013/14 Championship season will be against Barnsley on Saturday 3rd August. Owen Coyle’s men will be looking to make a bright start at Oakwell before they take a short break from the Championship to face Premier League Champions Manchester United at Wembley in the Charity Shield on Sunday 11th August. Latics then travel to Bournemouth on Saturday 17th August and are at home to Doncaster on Tuesday 20th August.

There will be several local derbies to look forward to, with Bolton (H) 14/12/13 (A) 29/03/14, Blackburn (H) 05/10/13 (A) 03/05/14, Blackpool (H) 26/04/14 (A) 19/10/13, and Burnley (H) 29/12/13 (A) 21/04/14. Plus new grounds for many Latics fans to visit at Brighton’s Falmer Stadium, Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium and Yeovil’s Huish Park.

Following their incredible FA Cup success the Latics will be playing in the Europa League on Thursday nights, so it is likely that the Championship games in European weeks will be played on Sundays.

Please note that all fixtures are subject to change. A full list of fixtures can be viewed on the Official Website.

Posted in Championship, Europa League, Owen Coyle, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Championship, Europa League, Owen Coyle, Wigan Athletic | Leave a comment

Owen Coyle appointed as the new Wigan manager

Posted on June 14, 2013 by ianhaspinall

New Wigan manager Owen Coyle

Former Bolton boss Owen Coyle has been appointed as the new Wigan Athletic manager. Coyle who has been out of work since he was sacked by Bolton in October, is a somewhat controversial choice to replace Roberto Martinez who left to join Everton.

Because of his previous association with local rivals Bolton, the appointment may not be well received by some Latics fans. However, in his first full season in charge, Coyle managed to get Burnley promoted to the Premier League, and this may have been what swayed Dave Whelan’s decision.

The 46-year-old former player was on a shortlist that included Rene Meulensteen, Mike Phelan, Gus Poyet, Karl Robinson and Steve McClaren, but Wigan owner Dave Whelan decided Coyle was the right man to lead the club.

It is understood that Coyle has signed a one-year rolling contract but could stand to bank lucrative bonuses if he guides the club back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Dave Whelan told the Wigan Evening Post,

“He had a rough time at Bolton but he has a belief in Wigan and I think he is the right man to take us back into the Premier League.

There were four or five really excellent candidates – out of 40 who applied for the job – but Owen impressed me the most. I think we can get back to the top flight within two years.

He will start work as Wigan Athletic manager tomorrow (Friday)”.

Coyle was successful in winning promotion for Burnley to the Premier League in 2009. But in fairly acrimonious circumstances he then moved to Bolton halfway through his first season in the Premier League.

He managed to maintain the Trotters Premier League status when they finished 14th in 2010/11. But in the following season they struggled and were relegated to the Championship in May 2012

After a poor start to the Championship campaign, Coyle’s time at the Reebok Stadium came to an end in October 2012, when his contract with Bolton was terminated.

During his time at Bolton he had a win rate of 33%. During 126 games in charge he won 42, drew 24 and lost 60.

Dave Whelan has taken a risk in appointing a manager who has managed Wigan’s nearest rivals. The fans may not be tolerant if things don’t start well for Coyle. The new manager is known for his motivational skills, but whether he can repeat the success he had getting Burnley promoted from the Championship is open to debate.

One of Coyle’s first tasks will be to convince key players such as Arouna Kone, James McCarthy, Shaun Maloney and Callum McManaman that their future lies with the Latics. If he can retain the majority of his star players plus make some prudent additions there is room for optimism next season.

Posted in Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Dave Whelan, Owen Coyle, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Dave Whelan, Owen Coyle, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | 2 Comments