Whelan: Hutchings can take club forward
Hutchings takes charge of the Latics as Jewell wants a break away from the strain of management
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Monday, 14, May 2007 09:46
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan insists new boss Chris Hutchings is the right man to keep the club in the Premiership next season.
Hutchings was named as the Latics manager today following Paul Jewell's shock resignation.
Jewell's announcement came a day after he watched his side stay in the top flight in dramatic fashion after a 2-1 win over Sheffield.
Hutchings, who was Jewell's assistant at Wigan, was in charge of Bradford City in their disastrous 2000/01 season.
But Whelan described Hutchings as one of the most knowledgeable coaches in the Premiership.
"Chris has been with us for the last six years overseeing the revolution on the playing side that has occurred here and he has experienced all the successes first hand," Whelan said.
"He and Paul worked very closely together and I know how highly Paul regarded him both as a motivator and as a coach.
"I feel Chris is the right person to progress the club into the next era."
Mirroring today's developments, Jewell resigned as Bantams boss in 2000 after helping the club avoid relegation on the last day of the season.
Hutchings, 49, took over and lasted just 21 games in charge before being sacked with the Yorkshire club languishing second from bottom.
In 12 Premiership games under Hutchison, Bradford's shock win over Gianluca Vialli's Chelsea was their only victory.
Bradford were relegated that season and went into financial meltdown in the Championship after Hutchings had signed Benito Carbone and Stan Collymore on lucrative contracts.
Whelan added that Hutchings would be given money in the summer to strengthen the squad.
"I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome him as manager and give him my assurance that he will have my full and total backing as we seek to stay in the Premiership for a fourth season and keep establishing this club in the best league in the world," Whelan said.
"He is a very, very capable manager. It didn't work out for him at Bradford but he has my full support and the support of the board and I will supply him with the funds.
"It's always a gamble when you go into the market for a manager. I've appointed about half a dozen and we have had a couple of good ones and some failures."