Author Archives: JJ (Tony)

Wigan Athletic: a look at Ryan Lowe’s summer recruitment so far

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Specials and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Stats courtesy of Wikipedia

Ryan Lowe’s previous track record clearly appealed to Mike Danson when he was looking for someone to replace Shaun Maloney as manager of Wigan Athletic.

Lowe had a record of success at clubs where spending was limited, rather than profligate, as is the case with so many football clubs. The Liverpudlian led Bury and Plymouth to promotion out of League 2 in 2018-19 and 2019-20 respectively. That was followed by a stint at Preston where the club’s middling positions in the Championship showed that they were punching above their weight with staffing budgets being low relative to the majority of clubs in the division.

Lowe’s appointment in March was well received by Latics fans who had been frustrated by the defensive style of football under Shaun Maloney. However, the football on display in Lowe’s 11 games at the helm from then to the end of last season was no more entertaining, with the new manager adopting a “fightball approach”, with few memorable moments. When Lowe had taken over Latics had been in 15th place in League 1, 10 points clear of the relegation zone. The stats at the end of the season showed exactly the same results. Relegation has been avoided.

Lowe gained a reputation for attacking football early in his managerial career at Bury, employing a 3-4-1-2 formation. But goals were not easy to come by later at Preston where Will Keane was the highest scorer in his time there with 11 goals in 2023-24.

Long-standing fans recall Paul Jewell’s and Steve Bruce’s sides playing enterprising football with twin strikers and many very much welcome Lowe’s preference for the same. Some of them were critical of the Roberto Martinez era, preferring a more direct style of football, grudging of the manager’s success of keeping the club in the top tier for four more seasons and his staggering achievement of winning the FA Cup. The initial managerial appointments of both Gary Caldwell and Shaun Maloney from the Martinez days did not go down well with that faction.

Last summer’s player recruitment under Maloney was largely focused on signing younger players with potential sell-on values. It was a reaction to the club previously being saddled with older players on bloated salaries and long contracts who could not be moved on, a massive drain on finances. Maloney’s summer recruitment largely brought in players of 25 years of age or less, who had been identified as having potential to develop further given the right coaching environment. Salaries offered were commensurate to that of a club seeking sustainability, rather than one looking for a quick-fix for promotion. But Danson backed Maloney in the transfer market by allowing him a figure in the region of £1m to bring in players to supplement a collection of free agents and young loan players.

Lowe has also been backed by Danson in the transfer market. In addition to picking up Fraser Murray (26) and Christian Saydee (23) for free, Lowe paid Burnley a figure of around £350,000 for Dara Costelloe (22). Lowe’s acquisition of Paul Mullin (31) and Callum Wright (25) on year-long loans suggests he will be looking for more mature players in the loan market, whose experience could prove useful in a young squad.

Since Lowe likes to play with twin strikers, he has needed to bring more in. He already signed Costelloe, Mullin and Saydee and the rumours suggest he is trying to sign Jordan Rhodes (35) who was at Blackpool last season. Were Rhodes to be signed it would be on a short-term contract. Lowe already had Maleace Asamoah (22) and Chris Sze (21) under contract.

Mullin, the most well known of the newly signed strikers, had an outstanding goalscoring record at Wrexham when they climbed up the division from the National League. However, his League 1 record of 3 goals in 9 starts and 17 appearances off the bench last season is a concern. Christian Saydee was a popular figure at Portsmouth, but his career record shows him scoring 12 goals in 60 starts and 63 substitute appearances. Dara Costelloe’s record is better, with 12 goals in 56 starts and 19 as a substitute. Asamoah has scored one goal in League 1 from 12 starts and 12 as a sub with Latics and Fleetwood. Sze has made just 4 starts with 28 appearances off the bench, scoring 2 goals since 2021. 

Lowe’s hope will be that his young strikers will mature and start producing goals on a more regular basis. He will also hope that Mullin can renew his goalscoring exploits, given a change of club: a fresh start, with the full support of his manager.

With new contracts being signed by Matthew Corran, Callum McManaman, Harry McHugh, K’Marni Miller and Tom Watson, Lowe already has a first team squad of 28. The manager continues to scour the market for players who will fit in his budget and there will be more comings and goings before the transfer window ends on 1 September. There will be players currently under contract who will need to be moved to other clubs if the manager is to stay within his staffing budget.

Toby Sibbick has already joined Burton Albion and Kai Payne is to go on a season-long loan at Oldham. Lowe has made it clear that Steven Sessegnon needs to move on, although still under contract.

Lowe wasted little time in acquiring more strikers but still needs to look at specialist wing backs and perhaps more cover at centre back. But the question that concerns so many fans is whether Sam Tickle will be leaving over the summer. The young goalkeeper has been a revelation and his brilliant shot-stopping has saved his team on so many occasions. The weakness in his game is his distribution, a key area for new goalkeeping coach, Tony Warner, to work with him on should Tickle stay.  Should Tickle leave he would be very hard to replace.

All football managers prefer to have all their squads complete before the first game of the new season. It will be Ryan Lowe’s preference, but the nature of the transfer market suggests that more movement will take place during the month of August.

Ryan Lowe’s summer shopping list

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Other, Specials and tagged with , , , , , ,

I read an article the other day saying that in the 1960s the average tenure for a top flight manager was around four years, a far cry from the modern day when the figure is well below two. Since April 2015 Wigan Athletic have had 12 managers, although the figure does include those who were interim appointments.

Football clubs that are succeeding tend not to replace their managers frequently, but those who are not are doing well will usually ditch their manager in the hope of a new one coming in changing their fortunes. If the new manager does not succeed clubs rarely make thorough investigations into underlying factors that can cause the lack of success, so often repeating the process by making another change at the top. Over the past 25 years Wigan Athletic’s longest-serving managers have been Paul Jewell (6 years) and Roberto Martinez (4 years), both of whom brought honours to a club punching above its weight.

In early March I published an article “What kind of manager is needed to take Shaun Maloney’s legacy further? stating that:

“One can only hope that the Board are shrewd in their appointment. Whoever comes in will have players signed by Maloney on permanent contracts. They were signed to play the possession-based football that Maloney believes in. A shrewd appointment would be to bring in someone who can build on the good things that the Scot did, rather than one with a diametrically opposed philosophy of football.”

Whether Ryan Lowe can build on what Maloney did is open to question. From what we have seen so far, his style of football is hardly akin to that of the Scot. However, there was a faint chance of the club being relegated when Lowe took over and he adopted a “fightball” style of play, grinding out the results that would eventually get them to 15th position.

Most managers have a preferred tactical formation. The most common shape at Wigan in recent years has been 4-2-3-1, with a lone centre forward and an attacking midfielder playing behind him. Although Paul Cook and Leam Richardson were largely popular managers during their tenures there were always fans, particularly those who had witnessed the golden days of the Ellington-Roberts duo, who wanted to see twin strikers. Those fans will be delighted that Lowe likes to play with two central strikers. His preferred formation has been a version 3-1-4-2, with a central midfielder playing deep in front of the defence. He has lacked “natural” wing backs, having to use players more used to playing at full back or on the wing.  

Given Lowe’s preferred tactical approach he will need to adjust the balance of the squad. The retained list shows a senior squad of 19 players under permanent contract, but with Steven Sessegnon made available for transfer. Options for another year are triggered for Joe Adams, Tom Watson and Luke Robinson. Matthew Corran, Callum McManaman and Harry McHugh may get extensions on depending on negotiations.

Lowe needs wing backs and more strikers so he will need to move on players his predecessor signed on permanent contracts. Some will leave for low fees or free transfers, others being sent out on loan. Much has been said about the quality of recruitment last summer, but the aim to bring in young players in their early to mid-twenties, with potential sell-on value, was refreshing.  For too long the club had been saddled with older, experienced pros on relatively high salaries and long contracts, but with low sell-on values.

Lowe has made it clear that he needs more experience in his squad and that any under-21 players hoping to make the senior team will have to prove themselves worthy in training. He gave the exciting 19 -year-old K’Marni Miller his League 1 debut in the final game against Northampton, commenting “I said I wouldn’t be throwing in people for the sake of it, they’d have to have earned it with the way they handle themselves around the training ground and he’s been first one out and last one in ever since I’ve been here, so he was well worthy of coming on and I was pleased with what he did.” Miller was signed by Maloney last summer from on-league Guiseley.

Ryan Lowe’s appointment has gone down well with the majority of Latics fans. Although one could see the green shoots that suggested Maloney’s side would progress to a higher level with time it was nevertheless a frustrating season for us as fans, watching insipid stuff so often. Lowe’s arrival means yet another change in playing style and the kind of turnover in playing staff that has plagued the club over the past years. However, Lowe is an experienced manager who has a history of producing teams that punch above their weight despite being on modest budgets. One can only hope that he is given the full three years of his contract. Too many managers have been dismissed in an untimely manner over the years rather than being supported through difficult periods. The net result has been instability, with too much turnover not only of managers and coaches, but also of playing staff.

The hope is that over summer Lowe will make the adjustments in the balance of the squad that he feels he needs, but that turnover of playing staff is much reduced in the summer of 2026 and beyond. History has shown us that success is more likely if the manager is given a relatively long tenure.  

Ryan Lowe’s Summer Shopping List

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Specials and tagged with , , ,

I read an article the other day saying that in the 1960s the average tenure for a top flight manager was around four years, a far cry from the modern day when the figure is well below two. Since April 2015 Wigan Athletic have had 12 managers, although the figure does include those who were interim appointments.

Football clubs that are succeeding tend not to replace their managers frequently, but those who are not are doing well will usually ditch their manager in the hope of a new one coming in changing their fortunes. If the new manager does not succeed clubs rarely make thorough investigations into underlying factors that can cause the lack of success, so often repeating the process by making another change at the top. Over the past 25 years Wigan Athletic’s longest-serving managers have been Paul Jewell (6 years) and Roberto Martinez (4 years), both of whom brought honours to a club punching above its weight.

In early March I published an article “What kind of manager is needed to take Shaun Maloney’s legacy further?” stating that:

“One can only hope that the Board are shrewd in their appointment. Whoever comes in will have players signed by Maloney on permanent contracts. They were signed to play the possession-based football that Maloney believes in. A shrewd appointment would be to bring in someone who can build on the good things that the Scot did, rather than one with a diametrically opposed philosophy of football.”

Whether Ryan Lowe can build on what Maloney did is open to question. From what we have seen so far, his style of football is hardly akin to that of the Scot. However, there was a faint chance of the club being relegated when Lowe took over and he adopted a “fightball” style of play, grinding out the results that would eventually get them to 15th position.

Most managers have a preferred tactical formation. The most common shape at Wigan in recent years has been 4-2-3-1, with a lone centre forward and an attacking midfielder playing behind him. Although Paul Cook and Leam Richardson were largely popular managers during their tenures there were always fans, particularly those who had witnessed the golden days of the Ellington-Roberts duo, who wanted to see twin strikers. Those fans will be delighted that Lowe likes to play with two central strikers. His preferred formation has been a version 3-1-4-2, with a central midfielder playing deep in front of the defence. He has lacked “natural” wing backs, having to use players more used to playing at full back or on the wing.  

Given Lowe’s preferred tactical approach he will need to adjust the balance of the squad. The retained list shows a senior squad of 19 players under permanent contract, but with Steven Sessegnon made available for transfer. Options for another year are triggered for Joe Adams, Tom Watson and Luke Robinson. Matthew Corran, Callum McManaman and Harry McHugh may get extensions on depending on negotiations.

Lowe needs wing backs and more strikers so he will need to move on players his predecessor signed on permanent contracts. Some will leave for low fees or free transfers, others being sent out on loan. Much has been said about the quality of recruitment last summer, but the aim to bring in young players in their early to mid-twenties, with potential sell-on value, was refreshing.  For too long the club had been saddled with older, experienced pros on relatively high salaries and long contracts, but with low sell-on values.

Lowe has made it clear that he needs more experience in his squad and that any under-21 players hoping to make the senior team will have to prove themselves worthy in training. He gave the exciting 19 -year-old K’Marni Miller his League 1 debut in the final game against Northampton, commenting “I said I wouldn’t be throwing in people for the sake of it, they’d have to have earned it with the way they handle themselves around the training ground and he’s been first one out and last one in ever since I’ve been here, so he was well worthy of coming on and I was pleased with what he did.” Miller was signed by Maloney last summer from on-league Guiseley.

Ryan Lowe’s appointment has gone down well with the majority of Latics fans. Although one could see the green shoots that suggested Maloney’s side would progress to a higher level with time it was nevertheless a frustrating season for us as fans, watching insipid stuff so often. Lowe’s arrival means yet another change in playing style and the kind of turnover in playing staff that has plagued the club over the past years. However, Lowe is an experienced manager who has a history of producing teams that punch above their weight despite being on modest budgets. One can only hope that he is given the full three years of his contract. Too many managers have been dismissed in an untimely manner over the years rather than being supported through difficult periods. The net result has been instability, with too much turnover not only of managers and coaches, but also of playing staff.

The hope is that over summer Lowe will make the adjustments in the balance of the squad that he feels he needs, but that turnover of playing staff is much reduced in the summer of 2026 and beyond. History has shown us that success is more likely if the manager is given a relatively long tenure.  

Wigan Athletic: what profile of manager is needed to take Shaun Maloney’s legacy forward?

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Specials and tagged with , , , , , , ,

I was gobsmacked when I read the communique on the Wigan Athletic website about Shaun Maloney’s dismissal. My gut reaction was: how can they treat a man so badly, given the huge amount he has done over the last couple of years to keep the club afloat? The stories we have heard about him going way beyond the bounds of his role to help the club he has loved have been so heart-warming. It was a hellish two-year tenure for the FA Cup final hero who came back to help get the football side at the club back on track. He was constantly buffeted and stretched, but maintained a dignity that rose above it all.

The communique did, at least, recognise some of Maloney’s achievements:

“Shaun was appointed Wigan Athletic Manager in January 2023 during what would be an extremely turbulent period in the Club’s history. Whilst he could not prevent the Club’s relegation from the EFL Championship, Shaun ensured that the Club returned to the third tier with fighting spirit.

Furthermore, through a change of ownership in the summer of 2023, Shaun stuck by the Club and helped us overcome an eight-point deduction and a squad overhaul to retain our 2023/24 League One status comfortably with matches to spare.

During his tenure, Shaun and his young team have provided the Club and its supporters with some proud moments, including an Emirates FA Cup Third Round tie with Manchester United, as well as three memorable victories over rivals Bolton Wanderers, just to name a few.

Shaun has also helped develop a number of our young players, some of whom have moved on to further their careers to the mutual benefit of the Football Club.”

The manager’s sudden departure from Wigan Athletic has come at a critical time of the season. Latics sit 6 points above the League 1 relegation zone with 13 matches left. Why did Mike Danson decide to dispense with the service of Maloney and his assistant, Max Rogers, with such odd timing?

It has been a particularly frustrating season for us Latics fans. As can be expected fans’ frustrations have been vented at the manager and the owner of the club. Some of the more vocal fans constantly attacked Maloney’s style of football as being sterile and over-defensive. Others suggested that Danson is a rugby man, unwilling to put the money in to enable the football club to regain its place in the Championship.  The distilled view from such fans was that Maloney was not the man to ultimately provide success on the pitch. However, the manager had to shed key players due to Danson’s sustainability focus, replacing them with inferior players on lower salaries, who are just not good enough. Did the unrest among this portion of the fan base contribute to Danson’s decision?

“However, it cannot be overlooked that the current League One campaign has clearly not progressed as anticipated. Home results and performances, in particular, have been disappointing and below the standard at which our supporters expect. For this reason, the Board felt that it was time for a change.” (communique)

Wigan’s home form this season puts them in 17th place in the division with a record of W5D4L8. However, it is the lack of goals this season at “The Brick” that has rankled the fans. In 17 home games they have scored just 16 goals, the lowest in the division. However, they have only conceded 20. So many games this season have been dull and uninspiring, offering minimal entertainment to paying customers.

But then again this was always going to be a transition season, as the budget constraints kicked in. Maloney was forced to bring in bargain basement signings and a host of loan players over the summer. The permanent signings were focused on players in their early 20s whose asset values could increase, given good coaching. The exception was the signing of Will Aimson, an experienced centre back, to replace the outgoing Charlie Hughes. However, there was a need to bring in loan players as has been the custom over previous years. They were all young players in a squad that already lacking experience. In January, Maloney was given the opportunity to jettison some underperforming loan players to bring in experienced loanees, Owen Dale (25) and Ollie Norburn (32). Fees were paid for the experienced Jon Mellish (27), Joe Hungbo (25), Ronan Darcy (24) plus Josh Robinson (20) from Arsenal U21s.

Over the course of the season so far Latics have used 28 players in League 1 matches.  Fans expected part of the fees received for the outgoing transfers of Charlie Hughes and Thelo Aasgaard (total around £6m-£7m), to bring in new players. Fees paid out in summer and January have not been disclosed, but can be estimated around £1m-£2m.

The departure of leading scorer Aasgaard was a blow for Maloney and the results from January have been disappointing. However, it has taken time for the new players from January to settle in, although recently the team has started to gel better, with Maloney making less changes in his starting lineups. It was ironic to see Maloney dismissed as he seemed to be making better progress with a hard-fought draw at 2nd placed Wycombe and a first half display against 4th placed Huddersfield that was the best of the season. It was no surprise that their performance was “flat” against the third promotion hopeful, Reading. What was a surprise was the timing of Maloney’s sacking, given the scenario. Was it because the Board already had another candidate lined up to take over at short notice to hopefully guide them to safety?

One can only hope that the Board are shrewd in their appointment. Whoever comes in will have players signed by Maloney on permanent contracts. They were signed to play the possession-based football that Maloney believes in. A shrewd appointment would be to bring in someone who can build on the good things that the Scot did, rather than one with a diametrically opposed philosophy of football.

One can only look back to Dave Whelan’s appointment of “long ball” Owen Coyle to replace Robert Martinez to know how disastrous some recruitment decisions can be.

Wigan Athletic: the case of the misfiring wingers

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Reflections, Specials and tagged with , , , , , ,

Dion Rankine had probably his best game so far for Latics against Mansfield. Photo courtesy of Wigan Athletic.

Wide players played an important role in Shaun Maloney’s Wigan Athletic team last season. Martial Godo, Steven Humphrys, Jordan Jones, Callum McManaman and Jonny Smith made a total of 162 league appearances (starting + off the bench) between them, scoring 21 goals.

Over the summer Godo went back to his parent club, Fulham. Humphrys and Jones were offered new contracts but terms could not be agreed. Despite budget restrictions Maloney was able to sign four new wingers over the summer: Maleace Asamoah and Dion Rankine on permanent contracts for relatively small fees, with Michael Olakigbe and Silko Thomas coming in on loan. The average age of the four of them was less than 20.8 years.

After 12 games played in League 1 this season Latics have scored a paltry 10 goals, only Stevenage having scored less (9). However, their defensive record of only 9 conceded is bettered only by Stockport and Wrexham (both 8). Maloney and his coaches have worked hard with the players on their performances “off the ball”. The wingers have certainly played their part in defending, but they have looked muted in attack.

Both Olakigbe and Smith missed several weeks in early season due to injury. Ironically it is the least experienced Thomas, without a previous first team appearance for any club, who has played the most minutes.

 AgeAppearancesStartsTotal minutes
Silko Thomas (on loan)201010726
Dion Rankine22119705
Michael Olakigbe (on loan)2062259
Callum McManaman3392253
Jonny Smith273084
Maleace Asamoah211019

Thomas was signed on loan from Leicester. A product of the Chelsea Academy he joined the Foxes in the summer of 2023 and played in their U21 side. An inverted winger he has been a regular starter on the left.  

Dion Rankine is also a product of the Chelsea Academy.  After making 33 appearances on loan at Exeter in League 1 last season, he signed for Latics for a fee reported to be around £300,000. Rankine has been a regular starter as a “natural” right winger.

Michael Olakigbe, born in Nigeria, is a former England youth international who passed through the Fulham and Queens Park Rangers academies. He signed for Brentford in July 2022. Olakigbe made 8 Premier League substitute appearances for the Bees last season before being loaned out to Peterborough in January. He made only two league starts with 8 appearances off the bench for The Posh, his opportunities being hampered by injuries and suspension.

Callum McManaman was a key player last season in his ability to stretch opposition defences in the second half of a game. So often he was able to energise a style of play that was flat, lacking in energy and incisive play. However, he had less impact on matches when he was in the starting lineup. He has only started in two league matches this season, being largely employed as a “impact sub”.  

Jonny Smith was dogged by injury last year and has made only three appearances this season. Still only 27, he had played at 7 different clubs before establishing himself at Burton Albion where he played for two and a half seasons, making 77 appearances, scoring 9 goals. At his best he shows lightning pace and can provide a goal threat cutting inside from the right to use his left foot.

Maleace Asamoah was signed from Fleetwood for a small fee. He is the son of former Ghana international Derek Asamoah. A product of the Reading Academy he was at Cheshunt before making a handful of appearances for Kalamata, Olimpiacos Velos and New Salamis in Greece. On his return to England last season, he made two League 1 appearances for Fleetwood before going to Waterford in the League of Ireland where he established himself as a regular starter. Asamoah was clearly signed on potential and has only made one league appearance for Latics this season as a substitute.                        

Apart from McManaman the other wingers have had less than auspicious starts to the season. In so many games they have seemed static and lacking in dynamism and the willingness to take on opposition defences. What has been the underlying reasons for that?

Maloney’s critics would say that his constant rotation of players between and during games has meant that only Sam Tickle and the two centre backs, Will Aimson and Jason Kerr, have played the regular 90+ minutes. Partnerships between individuals have not developed as they might have. The net result has been a conservative, static way of play where the ball is constantly played to feet rather than into space.

Silko Thomas is a young player who plays with enthusiasm and works hard for the team. In the Mansfield game he once again received the ball with a defender tightly marking him. The net result was Thomas making a 30-yard pass back to the defence which indirectly led to a Mansfield goal. Dion Rankine too has struggled to breach opposition defences. However, Rankine has his best game this season because the ball was more frequently placed into space for him to run on to. In previous games the norm was for him to receive the ball to feet or even behind him.

Of the six wingers in the senior squad only Jonny Smith is a natural left footer and he is employed as an inverted role. Over the course of the season so far it would not be ridiculous to suggest that Wigan’s most effective wide attacker has been the left full back, Luke Chambers. The injury to Chambers is a hammer blow for Maloney, having not only so often been the only left-footer on the pitch but in his all-round play.

The understanding between full backs and wingers is crucial in developing plays along the flanks. The interplay between the two can help unlock tight defences. Unlike Chambers, James Carragher does not have the range of attacking skills possessed by a specialist full back like Chambers. Playing Carragher at right back has certainly helped the defence. He is good in the air and reads the game well. Carragher has done so well overcoming injury and establishing himself as a senior squad player.  However, playing a natural central defender at full back is not helping the attack, the right winger in particular.

The bottom line is that Latics’ passing this season has so often been predictable with players making the easy pass to feet rather than playing “sin miedo” by putting it into space for a teammate to run on to. The ability to receive the ball in tight situations is a key part of the game, but in Wigan’s case it so infrequently has led to the ball moving forward, the necessary support play being lacking.  

Players have suffered from the lack of imagination and vision in the team’s passing. The wingers have been particularly hard done by. If they are to be more effective, they need to work in tandem with the full backs, both offensively and defensively. Up to this point they have been more successful in the latter area.