Wigan
Are Wigan too small for Paul Jewell?
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Tuesday, 01, Aug 2006 04:30
They outstripped everyone's expectations last season. But now they're a known quantity.
Playing in the old third division just ten years ago, Wigan took their first tentative steps into Premier League football only last year, miraculously securing a top-half finish after the Latics' early form had put them in contention for a Champions League place right up until the business end of the season and sent them to the League Cup final.
The cliche is that Paul Jewell's men are the Chelsea of the north thanks to their sudden turn in fortune coming at the same time as mega-investment from a wealthy benefactor, but this is something of a tiring indication of the north-south divide that apparently exists in football, (Chelsea get Andriy Shevchenko, Wigan get Emile Heskey).
Jewell has done wonders with a squad that looked primed for a swift return to the lower reaches after he endured a frustrating close season, as Wigan's readily-apparent ambition was not able to convince a host of big-names who turned down a chance to be a big fish at the JJB.
So instead Jewell was forced to look elsewhere for his summer purchases, and he unearthed a diamond in Pascal Chimbonda and somehow managed to get some goals out of a Henri Camara-Jason Roberts partnership.
By far the Premiership's most unfashionable side, survival will again be a major coup, and the club will also be looking to increase last season's disappointing average attendance in a rugby league-dominated region.
Facts
Formed: 1932
Home: JJB Stadium, capacity 24,826
Nickname: The Latics
Adult 2006/07 season ticket prices: £340 - £410
Pedigree
Championship runners-up: 1 - 2005
People
Chairman: Dave Whelan
Chief executive: Brenda Spencer
Head coach: Paul Jewell
Assistant coach: Chris Hutchings
Team captain: Arjan de Zeeuw
Last season
Premiership: 10th - P 38 W 15 D 6 L 17 GF 45 GA 52 GD -7 PTS 51
FA Cup: fourth round - lost 1-0 to Manchester City
League Cup: finalists - lost 3-0 to Manchester United
Major summer ins
Denny Landzaat - in from AZ Alkmaar - £3 million
Fitz Hall - in from Crystal Palace - £3 million
Emile Heskey - in from Birmingham - £5.5 million
Chris Kirkland - Liverpool - season loan
Emmerson Boyce - from Crystal Palace - £1 million
Kevin Kilbane - from Everton - undisclosed
David Cotterill - from Bristol City - £2 million
Svetoslav Todorov - from Portsmouth - loan
Major summer outs
Jimmy Bullard - to Fulham - £3.5 million
Jason Roberts - to Blackburn Rovers - £1.5 million
Alan Mahon - to Burnley - £200,000
Damien Francis - to Watford - £1.5 million
David Thompson - to Portsmouth - free
Pascal Chimbonda - to Tottenham - undisclosed
David Connolly - to Sunderland - £1.4 million
Graham Kavanagh - to Sunderland - £500,000
Unheralded stars
Graham Kavanagh or Leighton Baines.
Irish international Kavanagh and England under-21 star Baines are two good examples of players to make a successful transition from the Championship to the Premiership's heady heights.
Relieved of the pressure of the limelight by their more videogenic colleagues Chimbonda and Bullard, Baines and Kavanagh simply got on with their jobs of delivering quietly-effective performances.
It is to the Irishman's credit that he never looked outclassed or daunted at the prospect of squaring up to some of the world's greatest midfield exponents who call the English Premiership home, while Baines managed to keep many a right-winger in his pocket as the Latics managed to secure the top division's best defensive record by November time.
With Bullard having gone and Chimbonda still pining for a move to more lucrative climes, both players will have to perform to their ability if Wigan are to enjoy another successful season.
Starlets
Tomas Cywka.
The Polish 18-year-old is another new face at the JJB, having arrived for nothing from Gwarek Zabrze, and the fact that Bayern Munich were interested in offering him full-time terms hints at his potential.
His country's youngest ever under-21 international, the midfielder has been earmarked as one for the future by Jewell, who has praised his vision, touch and pace.
Predictions
League position: 9th.
Latics to survive dreaded second-season, but no repeat of last season's heroics.
Chances of managerial change: Very possible.
While Jewell is beloved of Whelan and the fans, if he can steer Wigan to two seasons of safety, he can expect a call from a more high-profile club. Bradford fans will remember how he ill-fatedly jumped ship to Sheffield Wednesday after achieving a similar feat.
Top scorer: Henri Camara.
The Senegalese striker will miss his old sparring partner Roberts, but has a ready-made punch bag replacement in Heskey who will hopefully soak up all the damage so the ex-Wolves man can poach his customary ten goals a season.
Player most likely to rock the boat: That man Camara again.
In a team with very few big names (apart from Andreas Johansson), the hitman could be forgiven for thinking himself the star player. If Wigan struggle expect some Pierre Van Hooijdonk-style strike action.
Matt Champion.