Let's Hang On

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

A season of great extremes – FA Cup glory, relegation, managerial change and European qualification

Posted on June 10, 2013 by ianhaspinall

FA Cup winners 2013

Shaun Maloney curls the ball into the area and Ben Watson rises at the near post, making a perfect contact with the ball that flies past Joe Hart. To see Wigan Athletic win the FA Cup was surreal for the fans who had supported them from non-League.

In the early rounds we fielded a mainly second string line-up aided by a couple of first teamers. Roberto Martinez was accused of not taking the cup seriously by some, but in reality he was seeing if his young players were capable of stepping up to the first team. Callum McManaman was a prime example of a player who hadn’t had much game time but developed into an exciting prospect during the FA Cup run.

We struggled in the third round, drawing at home to Bournemouth before winning the replay at the Goldsands stadium 1-0 with a rare goal by our most expensive signing ever, Mauro Boselli, a player who has spent most of his Wigan career away from the club on loan at Genoa and Palermo.

We had our hearts in our mouths at plucky Macclesfield when the Silkmen nearly caused an upset but a Jordi Gomez penalty got us through 1-0. In the fifth round at Huddersfield we dominated the Terriers and ran out worthy 4-1 winners with two goals by Arouna Kone and one each for McManaman and James McArthur.

The away game at Goodison Park looked on paper to be our stiffest test but we came through with three goals, by Maynor Figueroa, McManaman and Gomez, in the space of three first half minutes. This was breathtaking football by Martinez’s men and favourites Everton were left shell shocked at the final whistle.

Having an FA Cup semi final at Wembley is an anathema for football purists but we couldn’t miss the opportunity for our first visit to the new Wembley in our first ever FA Cup semi final. Millwall are always difficult opponents but in the end our slick passing game got us through to the final with goals by Shaun Maloney and McManaman.

The FA Cup win is exceptional in the context of the modern game, not since Ipswich Town defeated Arsenal in 1978 have a small town club won the FA Cup. Wigan’s achievement in defeating the might of Manchester City is unlikely to be repeated for a very long time.

That the club has come so far is down to the commitment of the Chairman Dave Whelan but is also down to some very good managers, Ray Mathias, John Deehan, John Benson, Paul Jewell, Steve Bruce have all played their part but the manager who deserves most credit is Roberto Martinez.

During his tenure the club achieved outstanding first victories against all the top clubs. A particular highlight being last season’s 1-0 victory over title chasing Manchester United. The victory may have lead to United missing out on the title, but more importantly it helped Wigan to stay in the top flight for another season. Martinez developed firm foundations during his four seasons in charge while winning many new friends with his attractive style of football.

The young players are starting to come through, and he’s also inspired and improved older players like Shaun Maloney whose career seemed to be going nowhere when Celtic released him. He picked up some great bargains from all corners of the world. Arouna Kone, James McCarthy, James McArthur, Antolin Alcaraz, Ivan Ramis, and Roger Espinoza were signed for a combined total of under £10 million.

Martinez’s resignation was a huge blow to the club and the player exodus has already begun with Figueroa, Alcaraz, Franco Di Santo, Ronnie Stam and Albert Crusat all out of contract and loan signings Joel Robles, Angelo Henriquez and Paul Scharner all returning to their host clubs.

Wigan have several star players who are likely be targeted by Premier League clubs. McCarthy, Maloney, Kone and McManaman could all attract sizeable transfer fees if the club decided to release them.

The fans will be very disappointed with Martinez’s decision to leave, but he achieved miracles in the last four seasons with a Championship sized budget. For some fans it may take some time to appreciate the full magnitude of what he has achieved.

The new manager will have a rebuilding job on his hands, transfer funds will be available but the club will have to face a lengthy Championship campaign plus Europa League fixtures.

To say it’s been an emotionally charged season for Wigan Athletic is an understatement. The season reached a crescendo when the team defied the odds to win the FA Cup but only three days later they endured the disappointment of losing their Premier League status.

Following the defeat and relegation the critics were out in force, pointing to Wigan’s poor defensive record, lack of goals and Martinez’s weaknesses as a manager. But the truth is that very few clubs would have survived this season with the plague of injuries they endured. The catalogue of defensive injuries was catastrophic. Club captain Gary Caldwell was dogged by a troublesome hip injury, Alcaraz missed more than two thirds of the campaign, new recruit Ivan Ramis has been out since January, while Figueroa, Beausejour and Stam were all injured in the final stages of the season.

The FA Cup run inevitably had a detrimental impact on the league results with the team having to play four games in eleven days. Yet they still missed out on survival by only four points, becoming the first side ever to win the FA Cup and be relegated in the same season.

The club achieved remarkable things during their eight seasons in the Premier League and they have won many friends for their style of football. They have set a new record by being the only club to have appeared in every domestic cup competition, reached a Carling Cup Final, qualified for a European competition and won the FA Cup.

Dave Whelan has stated his desire to get back to the Premier League at the first attempt, but realistically given all the changes at the club, probably the best we can now hope for is a season of stability in the Championship.

* A shortened version of this piece appeared in When Saturday Comes but is reproduced here in full.

Posted in Ben Watson, Dave Whelan, Europa League, FA Cup, Manchester City, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Ben Watson, Dave Whelan, Europa League, FA Cup, Manchester City, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | Leave a comment

Martinez ends his special relationship with Wigan

Posted on May 28, 2013 by ianhaspinall

FA Cup winning manager to leave Wigan

Sad news for Wigan fans today when it was announced that Roberto Martinez would be leaving the club. Following a lunchtime meeting with Wigan chairman Dave Whelan, Martinez has offered his resignation.

Whelan told BBC Sport,

“He wanted permission to move so I’ve given that.

He has 12 months left on his contract, so whoever comes in for him must pay the remainder of his contract.

He feels he’s not the man to lead us back into the Premier League. I’ve got to accept what he feels.

He loves Wigan and the fans. We have to move on now and want applications for the job.”

It is fair to say that Roberto Martinez and Wigan Athletic have been synonymous. Martinez’s journey from former player to FA Cup winning manager is an incredible story. When he joined the club as one of the ‘Three Amigos’ back in 1995 no one could have imagined the impact he would have on the club and that he would one day lead them to glory in 2013.

His achievements as a manager will go down as the most important in the club’s history so far. Martinez’s attractive style of football has delivered the FA Cup and Europa Cup qualification and memorable first victories against all the top clubs in the Premier League.

Since he became manager the club’s financial position off the pitch has improved with the club making an operating profit of £4.3m during 2011/12. Wigan are currently sponsored by 12Bet.com and the company have the option of a third year’s sponsorship. Despite relegation parachute payments of £23m should give the club the resources to mount a challenge for promotion back to the Premier League.

Relegation is a setback and the appointment of the right manager will be crucial to make a quick return to the top flight. Possible contenders mentioned so far include Martinez’s assistant Graeme Jones, Steve McClaren and Mark Hughes.

Martinez is now regarded as one of the leading contenders for the Everton job, after Everton chairman Bill Kenwright was given permission to talk to him.

In previous seasons Roberto has turned down offers from Aston Villa and Liverpool, but now felt it was the right time to make a change to another club.

Martinez should be applauded for creating something very special at Wigan. He built the club according to his own personal beliefs, transforming it into a forward thinking and attractive footballing outfit and he delivered the biggest domestic trophy in world football. Wigan fans will be very disappointed with his decision, but they should appreciate the magnitude of what he has achieved over the last four seasons.

Posted in Dave Whelan, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Dave Whelan, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | Leave a comment

Martinez decision delayed – negotiations continue

Posted on May 23, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Roberto Martinez at the FA Cup Parade

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has delayed making a decision on his future until early next week. Martinez was expected to make a decision today, but according to Sky Sports News a meeting with chairman Dave Whelan did not reach a conclusion.

Speculation is rife about the content of their discussions, with some suggesting that Martinez is delaying in the hope of more job offers coming in. The Spaniard has been linked with jobs in the England and Europe, with Everton, Stoke, Malaga and Napoli all reportedly interested.

Despite the speculation my personal view is that Martinez will be keen to stay with the club but will want Whelan to make significant funds available to reinforce the squad for the forthcoming Championship and European campaigns. Whelan can be a hard negotiator but Martinez will want to be reassured of the financial support before he makes a final commitment.

The final decision is now expected to be made on Monday or Tuesday next week.

Posted in Dave Whelan, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Dave Whelan, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | 2 Comments

Final game of the season ends in stalemate – Wigan Athletic 2 Aston Villa 2

Posted on May 19, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Emmerson Boyce scored a fine header

Wigan’s last game in the Premier League ended in stalemate as they were held 2-2 by Aston Villa. Darren Bent gave Villa an early lead with a shot from eighteen yards before Emmerson Boyce equalised with a header and then Latics took a half time lead through a Nathan Baker own goal.

But the FA Cup winners were unable to sign off their eight years in the top flight with a win due to Ron Vlaar’s spectacular equaliser on 60 minutes.

Roberto Martinez made several changes to the team which lost at Arsenal with Ali Al Habsi replacing Joel Robles in-goal, Roman Golobart taking over from Antolin Alcaraz in defence and Ben Watson slotting into midfield for the injured Callum McManaman.

In bright sunshine it was Villa who started the brighter and took the lead on five minutes. Gabi Agbonlahor’s pass gave Darren Bent the chance to run at the Wigan defence and get in an early shot which evaded Ali Al Habsi and went in off the right hand post.

Despite the setback the Latics soon got into their stride and started to play their trademark passing game.

Arouna Kone was only prevented from scoring by a last-ditch tackle by Nathan Baker before Wigan did equalise through Emmerson Boyce on 21 minutes. The excellent Roger Espinoza provided a superb left-wing cross and the Latics captain headed powerfully past Brad Guzan in the Villa goal.

Shaun Maloney nearly increased Wigan’s lead from a free kick but Guzan made a smart save. But just when it looked like the sides would go into the break level, Wigan went ahead with a scrambled own goal. Ben Watson’s shot was kicked away by Ashley Westwood but his attempted clearance only hit Nathan Baker and the ball ended up in the Villa net.

The first period had been an open-ended encounter and the game continued in the same vein in the second half. Boyce skimmed the crossbar with a fine effort before Villa drew level when centre half Ron Vlaar produced a superb piece of skill, first to bring the ball down from a corner, then expertly volley past Al Habsi.

Wigan were unlucky not to regain the lead when James McArthur volleyed against the crossbar but it was not to be and the points were shared.

It was a bittersweet ending to Wigan’s eighth season in the Premier League. A disappointing relegation year was sweetened by the FA Cup victory and Europa League qualification.

The attention will now turn to the question about whether Roberto Martinez will remain as manager next season. It will be an extremely difficult decision for the Spaniard who has devoted so much of his career to Wigan.

Many observers will see relegation as the ideal time for Martinez to move onto a bigger club, but I’m still hopeful that he will want to remain in charge and take up the challenge of returning Wigan to the top flight.

Posted in Aston Villa, Darren Bent, Emmerson Boyce, Nathan Baker, Ron Vlaar, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Aston Villa, Darren Bent, Emmerson Boyce, Nathan Baker, Ron Vlaar, Wigan Athletic | Leave a comment

Wigan suffer relegation after Arsenal defeat – Arsenal 4 Wigan Athletic 1

Posted on May 14, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Sad day for Roberto Martinez

Wigan Athletic experienced the two extremes in football in the space of only four days. They had their best ever day on Saturday when they won the FA Cup and today they suffered one of their darkest days when they were relegated from the Premier League after a 4-1 defeat at a rain-soaked Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal were given an early lead when Lukas Podolski headed them in front before Shaun Maloney’s superlative free-kick levelled the game. In the second half Theo Walcott gave the Gunners the lead before Podolski scored a second and then Aaron Ramsey confirmed the three points. Wigan will now be playing in the Championship next season after an incredible eight seasons in the top flight. Arsenal edged closer to a Champions League slot and a win at Newcastle on Sunday will ensure a 16th consecutive season in that competition.

Wigan retained the same starting line-up from their famous FA Cup win, while Arsenal only made one change from their last game with Kieran Gibbs coming in at left-back.

In torrential rain the home team started positively and looked the sharper of the two teams. They took the lead on 11 minutes following a corner, when Podolski was given far too much space in the Wigan six-yard box and stooped to head home.

Wigan struggled to make an impact in the first 30 minutes but following Arouna Kone’s shot in the 33rd minute they started to get a foothold in the game. Callum McManaman was beginning to pose a threat and soon had a shot well-blocked by the Arsenal defence.

The Latics were looking the more likely team to score in the 15 minutes before the interval and they equalised on 45 minutes. Shaun Maloney went down under a challenge from Mikel Arteta and referee Mike Dean awarded a free kick just outside the Gunners penalty area. Maloney produced a free kick of such high quality that it would not have been out-of-place at the Nou Camp. The Scottish magician curled the ball over the wall and beyond the despairing dive of the Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny.

It was a huge lift for Wigan and they started the second half as the team most likely to score. Szczesny denied Arouna Kone at close range and James McArthy had a goal ruled out for offside. But the game was opening up, Arsenal threatened and Latics keeper Joel Robles was forced into a double save before Tomas Rosicky’s shot went wide.

McManaman went off with an ankle injury on 56 minutes and Wigan never seemed to recover from the set back.

It was now end-to-end stuff and Arsenal regained the lead through Walcott after a superb low cross from Cazorla evaded the Wigan defenders and was turned into the net by the England forward.

Five minutes later Arsenal added a third when Paul Scharner played Podolski onside allowing the German forward in to lob over Robles. On 71 minutes Arsenal added a fourth when Ramsey, who appeared to be in a offiside position when he broke away, fired in from a tight angle. The final scoreline was harsh on Wigan and did not fully reflect their efforts in the game.

Following the defeat and relegation the critics will be out in force, pointing to Wigan’s poor defensive record, lack of goals and Roberto Martinez’s failures as a manager. But the truth is that very few clubs would have survived this season with the plague of injuries they endured.

The club have achieved remarkable things during their eight seasons in the Premier League and they have won many friends for their style of football. They have set a new record by being the only club to have appeared in every domestic cup competition, reached a Carling Cup Final, qualified for a European competition and won the FA Cup. Not a bad record for a small town club with a population of 81,000.

It must be a terribly disappointing day for manager Roberto Martinez and Chairman Dave Whelan who have put so much work into growing and developing the club. But both men are determined characters and I believe the club can survive this setback and make a quick return to the Premier League.

Martinez is coveted by many other football clubs and at some stage he will go onto manage a bigger club, but my gut feeling is that he will stay and want to return the club to the top flight.

Posted in Aaron Ramsay, Arsenal, Lukas Podolski, Shaun Maloney, Theo Walcott, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Aaron Ramsay, Arsenal, Lukas Podolski, Roberto Martinez, Theo Walcott, Wigan Athletic | 2 Comments

Time for another Wigan miracle

Posted on May 14, 2013 by ianhaspinall

Arsenal v Wigan Athletic 2006 – the last ever game at Highbury

FA Cup winners Wigan Athletic go into tonight’s game at Arsenal knowing only another win will do if they are to extend their eight-year stay in the Premier League. Wigan need to win their game at the Emirates and also defeat Aston Villa on the final day of the season if they are to escape relegation. It is a high stakes game with Arsenal desperately needing a win to secure a Champions League place for next season.

Wigan are already in the Europa League after winning the FA Cup, but the Gunners manager Arsene Wenger will want to continue his record of 15 consecutive Champions League qualifications.

It will be a tall order for the Latics, playing against the form team in the Premier League. Arsenal are unbeaten in their last eight league matches, earning 20 points during that period (W6, D2).

Wigan however will be on a tremendous high after winning the FA Cup Final and have only lost one of their last seven Premier League matches in the month of May. They are also the only team to have picked up more points away (18) than at home (17) in the top flight this season.

Something has to give, but if Wigan can replicate their FA Cup performance they will be the team who prevail and take their season into the final day against Aston Villa.

Posted in Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | Tagged Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, Roberto Martinez, Wigan Athletic | 1 Comment