Alan from This Northern Soul has talked in detail about Wigan’s hopes and aspirations for this season after retaining their place in the Premier League for yet another year.
Scott the Red: Were you happy with your team’s performance last season?
Alan: After six (yes six, count them) full seasons in the Premier League we would have ideally progressed from perennial relegation battlers to… well, I don’t know but something else all the same. The reality of the situation is that we don’t have the financial wherewithal nor the infrastructure to be anything but right now.
Things are improving on the infrastructure front, with the club looking to a long term plan for the first time in a good while, but I suppose your question is about our performance on the pitch and things weren’t always as encouraging in that respect last season, but it wasn’t all doom and gloom.
Pundits have reduced the whole of Wigan Athletic’s 2010/11 season into four games, the first two and the last two, the disastrous start and the dramatic finish. Such laziness hides a fairly steady improvement, particularly over the second half of the season. There’s no denying that we were left with plenty of room for improvement but, at the same time there’s a fair bit to write home about, not least the additional year’s top flight experience gained by our young squad. Or, in short, sort of.
STR: You mention the six years Wigan have had in the top division. Do you think you deserve more credit for managing to stay in the league for so long?
A: The question is a no brainer really we’ve been in the Premier League for more than a third of it’s existence and even without the usual “for a club of their size” and “with their resources” riders, that’s a real achievement. Of course we deserve credit and to see pundits who still have us as a banker to go down is a real testament to the worth of the profession. But the truth is, I like it that way. I’d rather be bucking the trend than failing to meet expectations. It’s just a pity that many of our fans buy into all that crap and would rather whinge about lack of progress than turn it into something positive. It would be great if we could all get behind the idea that none of these people like us being around and that proving them wrong is the real joy in staying in the top flight. Building the sort of siege mentality that we saw at the proper Wimbledon back in the eighties could be a real boost for the club on top of all of the good things we’ve got already.
STR: Who were your most important players in helping you avoid relegation?
A: Charles N’Zogbia caught the eye & stole the headlines and rightly so. His direct running and willingness to have a blast played a massive part in our run in. His departure leaves a massive hole in our team and a question over who got the better deal out of you & Villa over Young & N’Zogbia. It strikes me that the Frenchman is at least as good as Antonio Valencia and ten times less odious than Young.
However, the key to our side over the last 18 months has probably been James McCarthy. He spent 2009/10 showing up some supposedly more senior pros and the club and last season glueing the side together. We had to manage without him for three months last season and at best it was a struggle. His return to the side brought fluency and direction and took pressure of some players who’d been struggling to impose themselves on games, setting us up for survival. For such a young lad, his football intelligence and willingness to take responsibility are astounding. His reaction to getting clobbered by Rooney at our place last season is a good measure of the man and, to my mind, he is a certainty to not only play for, but to captain a top side in the future. He’s also very level headed and seems comfortable at Latics, so hopefully that won’t be for a few years yet.
STR: How has your team done in the transfer market this summer?
A: In short, they haven’t. The last of the deadwood of previous managers has been cleared away with Jason Koumas and Daniel de Ridder reaching the end of their contracts, Uncle Dave has done one for the fans by bringing in local hero Ali al Habsi for between £3-4m and N’Zogbia has left for between £9-10m. All that means we’ve got space on the wage bill for players but not much in terms of a transfer budget.
There are clear gaps in the squad now and it’s clear that things are going to be left late, with a probable reliance on loan deals, that tactic served us well last year with al Habsi and Cleverley being two of our better players but it does very little to calm the nerves of our fans who are clamouring for a striker and a replacement for N’Zogbia, regardless of the financial realities.
STR: What are your aspirations for this season?
A: I know that fans of other clubs despair at this, but, as always, our starting (and perhaps our finishing) point is survival. That can’t be enough though and there’s increasing talk around the club of stepping up a level which I guess puts us at the equally glamorous “getting forty points early enough in the season to have a serious tilt at a cup and/or top half finish”. My personal aspiration would be to see the push for stability across the club to continue. There’s talk of our top performers being offered new contracts, something which is as rare as hen’s teeth around here and would be a real step forward for me. Yes, there are gaps in the squad, but keeping players around for more than that first ‘stepping stone’ stage is our only real way of building a squad with real Premier League experience, which more often than not can make a massive difference in the lower reaches of the table.
STR: Wigan fans always seem to speak highly of Martinez. Do you still rate his ability to take the club forward?
A: I’ve never wavered. As i’ve said above, there’s more than one kind of progress and Bobby ticks all the boxes on the page headed ‘Turning Wigan Athletic into a proper club again’. There are still plenty of debates about his merits as a coach or tactician, but these are generally just aesthetic, either that or I’ll-founded.
I did a piece in our club’s fanzine summer special that covered just how I think Bobby performed last season maybe your readers would like to read for theirselves. (It’s a free download and avaiable from here – http://www.thisnorthernsoul.co.uk/downloads/view.download/5/5).
STR: Where do you think you will finish this season?
A: Higher than the average prediction of all the national media pundits’ predictions which I think currently has us finishing 21st. I don’t like making actual predictions about Latics’ but as it’s you, I’ll say 14th.
STR: Which player do you think will most important in helping you achieve this?
A: Overall our tactics make it a team effort, but you don’t want to hear that so, more specifically, our midfield will be key and I’m hoping for an early confidence boost to see them really go and stamp some authority on later games. Individually, all eyes will be on Victor Moses. It’s looking increasingly likely that he’s been anointed to take the mantle held by N’Zogbia and Valencia before him (and Garry Teale before him, but that’s a different story). Moses is a bundle of raw energy and talent and could end up a real talent if the responsibilty doesn’t get to him first. Pre-season indications are positive but trips to Nigeria (he chose them over England in what appeared to be a bit of an U21 spat last season) for internationals may be too much strain for a lad who’s still only 20.
STR: Which two current United players would you most want at your club? Why?
A: I think I said Ferdinand and Vidic last year and I think I’ll stick with the latter this time around. He’s the sort of centre-back that every team needs with goals to match. Of course he’d find staying on the pitch a lot more difficult at Latics though. For the other slot, I think it’s as simple as having Tom Cleverley back. He’s a good player, with the right attitude and, most importantly he knows the club, tactics and his new team-mates already, we’ll probably end up with a replacement who’ll need two months bedding in and time isn’t a luxury that we can really afford at the moment.
STR: Who will finish in the top 4? Who will go down?
A: Both Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool will finish in the top slots and I reckon you men will take the title again. Arsenal miss out because it looks like they’ll lose key players late in the summer, which from experience is hard to recover from.
STR: Anything else?
A: Just two requests, first for a brew, I’m dry after all that. Second, would it be possible to have something different from our regulation four/five goal drubbings this year? I wouldn’t go as far as a point, but it would be nice. I might even stop going on about Rooney’s elbow.
STR: No promises, mate. Cheers. Good luck for the season.
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absolutely. out. of. control.
and it wasn’t an elbow by rooney. it just wan’t.
lol
Can’t see them surviving the drop this time. Kudos for saving themselves in 10-11 though. They overachieved there.
Thanks Scott and Alan.
Alan – RoM operates 24/7 all year round. whenever you’re lonely, with no-one to talk to, pop in for a chat! We will rip you to shreds, especially as you support Wigan, but as you’ve obviously got a lot to say, and are well-spoken, you’ll enjoy it.
6 years in the Premiership is a tremendous record, well done.
Wigan,Blackburn and Norwich to go down.
Fuckin hell this bloke
likes to have a long bitch and moan.
Yes or no would suffice, it wasn’t an elbow it was a friendly slap followed by a friendly forearm smash.
Good read, seems a top lad. Surprised he thinks of N’Zogbia as at least on a par with Valencia, I don’t share that opinion.
I fear Wigan could depart the premier league this season. I like uncle Dave, but think Martinez is somewhat over rated. If Wigan do drop, I don’t think we could see them for a while. Or ever in the premiership again. The relegation fight, will be as fierce as ever. Good luck Wigan. You’ll need it.
“You can forget anyone you like,” Ferguson said, when asked if he still hoped to sign the Dutch international. “I am happy with the young players I have got.
“We have got [Darren] Fletcher to come back, Michael Carrick who tends to develop more around November and the young boy [Paul] Pogba, who is showing great promise for us. If we hold him back, what is going to happen? He will leave in a couple of years. We have to give him opportunities to show how he can do.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/8698601/Manchester-United-manager-Sir-Alex-Ferguson-sticks-up-for-youth-as-he-backs-Tom-Cleverley-and-class-of-2011.html
This is the first time that I have thought that we likely won’t sign Wes.
It is still open, but not likely.
Hello there
Hey how’s life?
Did you hear about the riots?
Yes Clint, u clit everyone heard!
good lad
I heard scousers broke into Stanley park and demanded a refund on their season ticket.
Good luck to wigan. Good club who do things the right way. Hope they prove their doubters wrong again.
Lonely pint.
That’s retarded scousers for ya, they probably thing Boston red sox are the cross town rivals of Bolton wanderers
Always remember
THE BIRD IS THE WORD
I apologize for Clint’s schizophrenic conversation.
Sorry for the unnecessary posts.
Papii
XxX
everybody wants vida in their team. the terminator rules supreme.
smartalex – Sir Alex said on mutv, that there will be no more signings.
i’ll play devils advocate on this one, i think Wigan will avoid the drop this year, martinez is alright. problem is the squad. ah well who cares United play on Sunday. I’m so giddy i could do a jig. what am i talking about? i’m already on my feet. hooray the footie’s back, take that you rioting wankers.
I’ll advocate that devil and say they’ll go down.
Right cut and pasting from original blog this morning
Again thank you to all
Blimey this blog has sprinted on with so many other pieces!
I’d like to thank absolutely everyone for the birthday wishes – ended up writing – long story
Thank you Costas – Cedars – RedManWalking – Balaji – willierednut – smartalex – Zibbie
Thank you good friends – fellow Reds
Sincerely touched with your kind words
Never Die 58
19
smartalex
thanks for the link bud
It was interesting he was criticised but Joe Hart wasn’t,” he said. “Our first was the same type of goal as their first, and he’s your national goalkeeper.
favorite quote, haha and he’s your national keeper
MG – No problem pal. Hope you had a good one!
“I had a chat with Sir Alex after Paul Scholes’s testimonial about a couple of players and that is ongoing. I don’t want to name names because I want to be respectful of Manchester United and Sir Alex,” said the Rovers manager.
“We have a good relationship. He has taken one of our players. I saw him at the Premier League managers meeting as well and hopefully we can keep that relationship up and if we do want to loan a player then he will be complimentary to what we are trying to do.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/aug/12/blackburn-rovers-manchester-united-loan
MG – It’s a pleasure to know you! Return happily and often!
willierednut – Thanks for that, I don’t get MUTV.
Our squad is surely stronger than last year in many respects.
Experienced players have moved on, and Sir Alex has shown by releasing JOS and Wes that he wants the team to move in a different direction. That he didn’t retain them after losing Scholes and Edwin reveals a deliberate ploy to unshackle the youth from an overbearing past. Normally one might expect a slower changing of the guard, but now it seems that metamorphosis is the order of the day.
I do still retain the belief that we will try to bring in suitable quality, as January transfers are not our cup of tea.
I want to thank Wigan and Martinez for what they did for Tom’s development.
I like Martinez but think he lacks the hardness to mold a successful team. I think they will have a fight on their hands to stay up.
smartalex – I don’t have mutv either. Someone posted Fergie’s quotes in the forum.
willierednut – Ah! I’ve not had time to go to the forum for ages. I’m working to deadlines, and probably shouldn’t even be writing this comment!
What’s the difference between Rooney’s elbow and a cow?
Wigan’s Alan doesn’t know how to milk a cow.
I hope they stay up. Guaranteed 6 points for us and usually plenty of goals, plus they often get results against our rivals!
My money on Wigan to stay up.My money on Wigan to stay up.
Okporoko,
Mine too. I just have a soft spot for them. Hope they can be a regular face in the PL.
Don’t mind Wigan at all. Dave Whelan is a decent guy
SmartAlex @ 22:53: “Sir Alex has shown by releasing JOS and Wes that he wants the team to move in a different direction. That he didn’t retain them after losing Scholes and Edwin reveals a deliberate ploy to unshackle the youth from an overbearing past. Normally one might expect a slower changing of the guard, but now it seems that metamorphosis is the order of the day.”
Good point – well said. If they’re good enough, they’re old enough. And cheaper, too.
denton davey – Add to that the adage ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’, which admittedly is only partially true. Young players are more malleable. Also, the young pups will not be free to express the new methodology while the old dogs are running the pack.