Call off the campaign

Football is bloody cruel sometimes. How can something you love so deeply, hurt so much? I think tonight I finally accepted defeat.

I excitedly blogged on Tuesday night about how those three points at Reading were the turning point. We could start the 'believe' campaigns once more and there was evidence that the classic Latics grit and determination had returned.

But in that blog I also rolled out the old cliche 'you're only as good as your last game.' Well Wigan weren't even as good as their warm-up once the first Charlton goal had gone in.

It's been an all too familiar tale this season so see our goal scorers crumble when prevented with opportunities. It's all very well starting brightly but what good does that do if you can't convert what you're working hard for?

The optimist here has become the realist. When your defenders look like they're marking each other and your usually reliable goalkeeper has slower reactions than Simon Haworth getting back onside (remember those days?), you start to accept that relegation is inevitable.

I write this with such frustration and a very heavy heart. It's a family trait to allow sporting results to dictate the household mood, so this could be a bleak few days in this part of London. I guess it's preparation for what could turn out to be an even bleaker next 14 games.

I'm a (re)believer

Let's roll out all of the cliches. Bring them on. All of them. I WILL get carried away because for the first time in what feels like a lifetime I sang 'I'm a Believer' at a Wigan match and I had a bit of faith in what I was singing.

So it's onwards and upwards from here. This is where our season starts. Winning momentum is with us. A new side is starting to gel. We've got the experience of a relegation battle.

But this next cliche is probably the one that Malky Mackay and the players should take most note of: you're only as good as your last game. And if we don't beat Charlton at home on Friday night, tonight's three points at Reading are pretty useless; we have to follow it up with consistency.

For now let's bloody enjoy it. The 198 of us at the Madejski endured some nerve-wracking moments; particularly in that questionable 11 minutes of added time. But that relief at the full-time whistle...oh my! Remarkably, it has taken me until February 17 to see us win a game this season and I will bask in its glory.

There were some huge positives aside from the obvious three points. Harry Maguire was the stand out performer for me. That sort of accolade isn't usually handed out to defenders, but when you're 23rd in the table a clean sheet is as good as your striker scoring a hat-trick.

Jason Pearce linked up with Maguire really well and it was his goal that has given Wigan fans a glimpse of belief that a good old-fashioned Latics comeback is on.

Leon Clarke had another good game. He chases every ball and his physical presence is surprising a few. It was an uncharacteristically poor night from James McClean but I think we can allow him an off-day given his contributions this season.

I've been wavering between writing us off and thinking we can still pull off survival. Before I left for tonight's game I said I would decide if I was an optimist or pessimist on full-time. So it's official: right now I'm a believer again. Just don't let us down now, boys.

Window closed, new era open?

I've worked at Sky Sports for over five years so I never escape the hype of a Transfer Window and the much-anticipated Deadline Day. As a Live Producer I co-ordinate the live crosses with reporters across the country, so those two days a year are undoubtedly the busiest of the calendar for me.

But this window, and yesterday's Deadline Day held an added significance as it was probably one of the most crucial for Wigan Athletic. 

In seasons gone by transfer windows have been mostly been about 'will they stay?', 'can we keep hold of our stars?' and waiting for Jim White and the Big Ben bongs to breathe a sigh of relief as players have remained with us.

But this window was a mass exodus like we've never known. The exits of Shaun Maloney, Callum McManaman and Ben Watson struck a chord that the FA Cup win is becoming more and more of a distant memory.

Added to that, Roger Espinoza and Fraser Fyvie had their contracts terminated by mutual consent at the end of December and beginning of February respectively. That teamsheet from Wembley is increasingly unrecognisable.

And the fans, myself included, have great frustrations with Malky Mackay for coming in and ripping up the squads around him. The squads built by Roberto Martinez in part, then Owen Coyle, then largely by Uwe Rosler, are being stripped to their bare bones. But for the first time I am starting to see some logic.

Jonathan Jackson's interview in the Wigan Evening Post last week struck a chord that relegation is a realistic option for Latics and the club don't want to go into the prospect of League One looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights.

Dave Whelan's ban has meant his grandson David Sharpe and Jackson have been responsible for off-the-field business and they've had a tough task this last month of shifting the big wage earners in preparation for the drop in parachute payments and a possible drop down a division.

Whelan our guardian angel is no more. Never before have we let players go so easily but Jackson's words showed us fans that perhaps the club had no choice. There has been no room for sentiment this January.

And so to Mackay's signings. What do we know about them? There isn't a name that stands out as such but Malky is no mug, despite his off-the-pitch alleged failings. 

Billy Mckay is the exact opposite of Oriel Riera and Andy Delort. Instead of the imports who come with continental flair, Malky has opted for someone who knows where the goal is and might not be so glamorous (or take as many selfies). I've seen a fair bit of criticism for Mckay's signing before he's even kicked a ball for us, but to those doubters I say this: what did we know about James McCarthy and James McArthur when they moved from Hamilton?

Jason Pearce hadn't been playing much at Leeds, but should steady a fastly-sinking ship at Wigan as he comes with a point to prove.

The move that should excite Wigan fans most is Sheyi Ojo on loan from Liverpool. We'll be doing Brendan Rodgers a favour by giving him first-team football and those that have seen him in action rave about him.

Chris Herd, Leon Clarke and Gaetan Bong have also come in, so all-in-all this Saturday's starting eleven against Bournemouth will start to look like the team that Malky built. No excuses anymore - this is the team he wants - for now.

Mackay's comments about only needing players who want to play for the club speak volumes for Mackay's management style and his intentions at Wigan. Brian Clough or Sir Alex Ferguson he is not, but he doesn't seem to be tolerate attitude problems or lack of effort.

So for now Malky needs to show his own effort and determined attitude, starting at home to Bournemouth.

It's not going to be easy, and he'll most definitely be dipping into the emergency loan window when it opens, but now is the official 'business-end' of the season. It's win or bust. 

And just remember, Uncle Dave might not be around now, but he'll be back soon and he doesn't suffer fools gladly...

Bye Bye Ben

I don’t think I’m the only Wigan fan who would count the FA Cup Final 2013 as the best day of my life so far. Now, I’m not married and don’t have children, so I’d like to think one day there will be some personal events that would rival it – but for now it remains a real “tell the grandkids” moment. And I owe that largely to a certain Ben Watson.

 

So it’s with great sadness that this morning I saw the news that Watson has left the club to join Watford, six months before his Latics contract was due to expire.

 

Watson hasn’t exactly been setting the Championship alight this season, but let’s face it, who has for Wigan? And he hasn’t had chance to either after coming back from his broken leg before Christmas.

 

I know there’s no room for sentiment in sport, but I really feel like the club could have done a bit more for him. He’s largely responsible for the greatest achievement in Wigan’s history, and he’s being allowed to slip out of the back door with just a few Twitter tributes.

 

As someone who has served the club for six years I would have liked to have seen him given a greater role to try and dig us out of the mess we’re in this season. Malky has said he wants to focus on the players who have a long-term future at the club which is understandable – but in the short-term we really need to make sure we’re still in the Championship.

 

But the purpose of this blog isn’t to criticise the management and the transfer activity in this window (although Wigan fans have plenty of opinions on that) – it is to say thank you to a true Wigan legend.

 

We all have our memories of that magical day at Wembley. I’ll never forget that goal going in and turning to the rest of my family to see us all have tears of joy in our eyes. And you did that, Ben. I drink tea from a mug with your face on every day and I live in fear of pressing delete by accident on my Sky Plus planner next to where it says ‘FA Cup Final Highlights.’

 

Where this leaves Malky Mackay on the popularity scale is another issue. Ben’s departure won’t be a popular one with the fans but the club have said that part of the reason for the move is that he wanted to move back home to the south. So from a personal point of view, we could end up as neighbours in the capital. And if we do he’ll always be welcome round at mine for a brew out of his mug. Good luck my hero.

Lessons Learned?

So he's made a big mistake; he's insulted a lot of people; and as Wigan fans will testify, he's ruined the reputation of a well-run family club. But if Dave Whelan steps down as Chairman of Wigan Athletic, it can only make things worse.

Now that the FA have handed out their punishment for Whelan's comments about Jewish and Chinese people it's time for the club to move on. Some may say a six-week ban is lenient but the mandatory education programme he will also attend should ensure that Whelan learns a valuable lesson.

Whelan has made millions of pounds and is one of the most successful self-made businessmen this country has ever seen. So imagine what it will make him feel like to sit and be told what is right and wrong, like he is back at school? It will be embarrassing and demeaning, but it's totally necessary.

Crucially, the FA haven't found Whelan to be a racist and this might be what saves his position at Wigan. He is guilty of being a naive old man with an old-fashioned mentality though. And if an education programme drags him into 2015 then bring it on.

When Venky's took over at Whelan's beloved Blackburn, he vowed that he'd never let something similar happen to Wigan. And that's when the talk started about his grandson David Sharpe eventually taking over. Eventually, it makes sense. But not quite yet.

Sharpe's appointment to the Wigan board just before Christmas was quite telling. I hope it's not because the FA ruling marks the end of Whelan's tenure, but rather I would prefer it to mark the start of Sharpe's education in how to run a football club.

I'd like nothing more than the club to remain in the Whelan family when Dave steps down, but please not just yet.

The sensible thing to do is to make this a gradual process. Whelan has been foolish but the whole club shouldn't be made to pay for it.

Sharpe represented the club, along with Gary Caldwell, at a Skybet Transfer Fund event at Wembley just before Christmas, and this is the sort of thing he should be seen to be doing for when his big moment comes.

Uwe Rosler said at the weekend that he called Whelan when he said he'd quit if found guilty. Rosler urged Whelan to rethink and said the club needs its Chairman right now. And how right he is.

We musn't forget that the FA are yet to rule on Malky Mackay so there could be tougher times ahead. And I for one don't want the club to face them without Dave Whelan at the helm.

Hoof Off

It's never fair to judge a match on the basis of what you read on Twitter, so before before publishing this blog I decided to watch Goals Express to see if my thoughts were justified. And after seeing the goals I didn't change a single word.

For weeks we've all been whinging. The football's shocking to watch; we can't see where goals are coming from; we're a shambles off the pitch; and even my Mum is questioning the tactics (sorry, Mum). But through it all whoever thought we'd be in a relegation battle? Well, it's time to hit the panic button because we bloody well are.

We're not losing with flair, we're not conducting ourselves with class and we're boring everyone to tears.

And something alien to our favourite Wigan sides of recent years has begun to creep into the play: hoof it up the field. 

I for one used to get frustrated with Roberto Martinez and his sides around February every year. We'd be languishing in the bottom three or thereabouts, always the favourites to go down, and we refused to stick the boot in and be gritty. Sometimes you just need to play long ball and battle it out when you're struggling; but Martinez always stood by his principles and proved me wrong every season (well, bar one, but he won the FA Cup so we'll forgive him).

So with this sort of attitude you'd think I'd want to see Malky's men going for the gritty approach. But that element of tactical genius slips up slightly when there's nobody to hoof it up the field to.

It seems Grant Holt is ready to come back and take his place in the team in January, and you have to say on the basis of this style under Mackay, that he'll actually fit in. I'd much prefer us to revert to playing a bit of football and having the creativity and spark that the likes of Callum McManaman and Shaun Maloney deserve, but first and foremost we're in a hole - and we need to climb out of it fast.

So if Holt is ready to come and score the goals then be our guest. He's seen off two managers so far in his Wigan career and his contribution could go some way to either making it a hat-trick, or shock us all and save Mackay's embarrassment.

My Christmas list a few weeks ago looked a little lavish but right now it seems a bit more modest. If I'm willing to give up the handbags and clothes, can I please have three points at Leeds and a striker in the January sales please Santa?

False Nine and False Hope

Today I saw Sir Elton John and watched Wigan lose a match. Only one of these things is unusual.

Before the game as the whole of Vicarage Road united to sing 'Your Song' I rightly predicted that would be the most memorable moment I would take away from today. Sir Elton was there to open a new stand named after him and got the crowd clapping their appreciation with an emotive speech firstly about what Watford means to him, and secondly in support of Dave Whelan.

Sir Elton said he saluted Whelan and what he had done for the club. A sentiment that we all agree with - none of us can fault what Whelan has achieved for Latics. What was perhaps more apt was 'I'm Still Standing' being the last song played before kick-off. A subtle message referring to Whelan's plight maybe?

On the pitch the same woes continue for Wigan. Whelan says he appointed Malky Mackay on footballing reasons. Well so far I'm not seeing any evidence to suggest the football we are playing is any better than that under Uwe Rosler.

The away end of Vicarage Road was one of bemusement in the build-up to kick-off as news broke of Mackay's team selection. No clear striker named in the 11 left us all pondering where a goal would come from and whether Mackay had come here for a 0-0.

James McClean, to his credit, ran his socks off. He chased every loose ball, pressured the keeper when required and covered more blades of grass than many a Premier League striker would have done today.

But it takes a bloody good side to make the false nine position work. And that we are not. False nine equalled false hope for Malky today.

After going in at half-time at 1-1 we came out a much better team in the second half, and looked a real threat. But those real threats never really amounted to much without a recognised striker on the pitch. We can't go relying on attacking midfielders to keep us up. Callum McManaman can't manage 90 minutes at the best of times, so how are we going to get the best out of him if he's doing unnecessary extra work?

It took going 2-1 down before Andy Delort came on. He's far from setting the world alight, but you have to feel for him in that situation. He's had barely any match time and is expected to come on and rescue a point in four minutes. Christmas may be a time for miracles, but even miracles have a limit.

I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind that I put down in words (sorry, no more Elton references) my frustration at Wigan's slide down the Championship table. The January transfer window is approaching and I hope I speak for all Wigan fans when I make this plea: Malky, don't rely on the impending return of a certain Grant Holt.

So as we head for another Saturday night analysing where it all went wrong, there's one more Elton song that seems to sum up our emotions: 'I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues.' (I lied about no more Elton references).