The transformation of Wigan Athletic..............................................

We often talk about the Fergusons, Wengers and Hiddinks of football but seldom do we mention the names of managers of the smaller clubs and how they deal with the pressure of not only keeping their clubs afloat in the league but also attracting fans through quality football. One such manger who has not only transformed a mediocre and struggling club into a fighting unit but also has endeared himself to the fans and critics alike is Steve Bruce, the manager of the little known football club Wigan Athletic.
Steve jumped ships last year from another struggling club Birmingham City at a time when the Latics were placed below the Blues in the points table and were staring at a possible relegation. There was plenty that needed to be done as the club was not only nose diving but also playing awful football. Even the fans deserted them as they started turning up fewer in numbers. Relegation looked inevitable but as Steve Bruce took over he sorted the problems plaguing the club and turned the team into a cohesive unit. There was a marked improvement in their performance which was further illustrated when the Latics successfully managed to stay afloat at the end of the season.
Steve was well aware of the frailties and he went about overcoming them. At the start of the season when every club was targeting big names Steve focused his attention on players previously unheard of. His first big signing of the year was the prolific Egyptian striker Amr Zaki on year loan from Zamalek. Zaki was highly successful in the first half of the season when he scored goals for fun and attracted interests from big clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea. His second significant signing was the Honduran defender Maynor Figueroa from Olimpia. Figueroa has been rock solid at the back and has formed a formidable quartet with Paul Scharner, Titus Bramble and the club captain Mario Melchiot. Another Honduran signing was Wilson Palacios who was brought to the club last January. He was largely accredited for the club’s survival last year. These new players together with the highly experienced Melchiot, Antonio Valencia, Kris Kirkland and Paul Scharner played a brand of football that previously was not associated with the Latics. Currently, Wigan lie in 10th in the points table with 41 points and are only three points adrift of the last Europa Cup spot.
From the business point of view Wigan seem to be on course to making millions only by the sale of their superstars. Steve Bruce is one of the few managers who have been gifted with a sharp footballing brain. He has the knack of picking unknown players, grooming them and then selling them to bigger clubs. Wilson Palacios for instance was sold to Tottenham for 13 million pounds this January. Real Madrid has been tracking Antonio Valencia for sometime now. The Ecuadorian midfielder almost signed a deal with the Meringues but since no agreement could be reached between the two clubs the deal fell through. If rumors are to be believed the Spanish powerhouse could be whisking him away next year. Zaki though has hit a bad patch in terms of his goal scoring but he is still being sought after by clubs in England, Spain and Italy. Most of the players in the current squad are being touted to sign for bigger clubs next season and they all have a hefty price tag. Lee Cattermole, a Middlesbrough discard who was signed by Steve last summer is also expected to make a big summer move.
Though Wigan Athletic could be losing a number of their stars come next season but given Steve’s ability to turn ordinary players into superstars be rest assured that we are in for a treat at the JJB………

4 Comments

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By CCCPPlus

17.04.2009 20:37

nice post. not so sure he really is that good, though.

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By Virang

18.04.2009 00:10

cmon man...don't jump the gun as of yet...this is the same fellow who was the manager of the birmingham team when it got relegated

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By zerenato

20.04.2009 09:29

and what a crappy buumingum it was. I'm not at all a believer in the "bruce is the best thing since sliced bread "-group. rather the opposite, if i may say so.

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By neostone

20.04.2009 10:08

heya i think u all don't knw bruce well...................u all knw tat wigan is playing tremondous this season...............and tis happens jst bcoz of bruce tactis...............

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