Jordan Jones | LOS THREE AMIGOS

Mal Brannigan: “I think we’ll be quiet, I think we’ll be measured…and I think it comes back to making sure this football club is a Championship club this time next year…”

The fans have been getting anxious. The Daily Mail’s sensationalist headline about the club being late in paying their staff twice in recent weeks certainly caused ripples, even if many put it down to a journalist with a gripe. There was anxiety too about the announcement of the new kit, but the club came out of it well, not only by displaying an attractive new uniform, but gathering praise for the appearance of the Big Help Project on the front of the shirts.

But the biggest issue: no new signings announcements for the senior squad with the season starting in just over two weeks’ time. When will it happen? Will Latics be able to afford to bring in the quality players who can make a difference in the Championship? Some fans ask why there has been so little recent communication about the matter.

However, Mal Brannigan’s comment was consistent with the approach he has taken since being recruited as CEO in April 2021. Many fans had clamoured for the much-loved Jonathan Jackson to continue in that position, but the new ownership opted for a new face in that position.

Together with chairman Talal Al Hammad, Brannigan has done a wonderful job in lifting the spirits of Wigan Athletic supporters whilst keeping a firm hand on the reins. The League 1 title was won with a minimal amount spent on transfer fees, with real eye towards recruitment bargains.

In the current economic climate EFL clubs are primarily looking at the free agent market. However, although making a very significant saving in transfer costs Latics’ signing of players on free transfers has come at a price. Last summer they were able to make top acquisitions for League 1 by being competitive in the market. However, to attract such players, it was necessary to offer better terms than competitors. It is not only a higher salary that will be attractive to a player: the length of the contract can so often be key in the negotiations, especially for players in the later stages of their careers.

Of the current squad Latics have nine players aged 30 or over. Ben Amos, Joe Bennett, Tendayi Darikwa, Jamie Jones, James McClean and Curtis Tilt have one more year remaining on their contract. The contracts of Josh Magennis, Tom Naylor and Graeme Shinnie expire in 2024.

Four players from last seasons squad have now left. Gavin Massey departed at the end of his contract and loan players Tom Bayliss. Glen Rea and Kell Watts have returned to their former clubs.

Every summer the social media is awash with fan debates about how many new players need to be added to a squad and in what positions. There are those who are currently saying that this current squad needs a major overhaul if it is to be able to compete in the Championship. Others will say that players were recruited not only to get Latics out of League 1, but to provide the spine of a squad that can consolidate in the second tier.

Around half of the current squad have considerable experience in the Championship or the Premier League with at least 40 appearances in the past. Others have been top performers in Leagues 1 or 2 or the SPL.

Given the fact that Latics have so many players already contracted it is unlikely that we will see a big influx of new players. Last summer was certainly the exception, with the squad having been threadbare at the end of the 2019-20 season. There has been so much flux in playing staff over recent years and current management might see a need for more stability. Comments from the manager, chief executive and chairman suggest that they have confidence in the squad, with the possibility of bringing maybe half a dozen new faces.

The new faces are likely to include players with ample experience in the higher tiers of English football, almost certainly on free transfers. Young loan players from Premier League clubs have been used to effect by Championship clubs in recent years. Although it is unlikely Latics will secure a player with the impact of Reece James in 2018-19 the loan players could play a crucial role. But what of planning for the future, given a squad that is not the youngest?

Ideally the club will make progress in developing young players that will serve them for years ahead, as opposed to those brought in on a loan from other clubs.

The youngest players appearing in last season’s League 1 team were Thelo Aasgaard, (now 20), Adam Long (21) and Luke Robinson (21), all graduates of the Latics Academy. Long and Robinson started in one game apiece, Aasgaard starting in five.

Of the players in their early to mid-twenties Callum Lang (24) and Jack Whatmough (25) were regular starters. Jason Kerr (25) started only when Latics played with a back three. Stephen Humphrys (24) started in 12 games and Tom Pearce (23) in 16 games.

Leam Richardson’s success in the past two seasons has been built upon a physical style of play and a reliance on his more experienced players. In 2020-21 the club was initially forced to bring in its young players, following the decimation of the squad due to administration. However, in the January window the manager was able to bring in more experience, which went a long way to avoiding relegation. Last season with the loss of Charlie Wyke he brought in the experienced Josh Magennis (31) in January who leapfrogged ahead of Stephen Humphrys in the packing order.

We can expect incomings and outgoings in the senior squad over the next couple of weeks. It appears that Jordan Jones is close to leaving, rumour suggesting that he will go back to Scotland for another loan spell. A permanent transfer is less likely because of the inability of most SPL teams to meet the kind of salary the player will be on. Latics signed Jones from Rangers last summer for a fee reputed to be around £500,000. He still has two years to run on his contract and Latics will try to mitigate costs by the other club paying a fraction of his salary. The manager has made it clear that Jones is not in his plans. One wonders what might have happened if the club had not made a late signing of James McClean, after Jones and Gwion Edwards had joined Callum Lang and Gavin Massey to compete for the two wide forward positions. Jones can count himself unlucky in not receiving the kind of backing from the manager that the likes of Edwards and Massey received.

There has been lots of hype from the Scottish media about the possible returns up north for Jamie McGrath and Graeme Shinnie. Both were signed for bargain prices in the January transfer window and looked good additions to the squad. But McGrath was only given one start in League 1, Shinnie just six. Speculation has abounded on the social media about why the pair were not given more opportunities. As the season was nearing its close some fans were suggesting that they were signed with a view to the coming season. Others retorted that the two did not fit into the long-ball approach of the manager, the ball passing over their heads so much of the time.

It has been good to see McGrath played at right wing back in pre-season, where his pace, control and passing vision has been impressive. It remains to be seen if the manager will continue to utilise him in that role or release him to go back to Scotland.

The ultimate composition of the squad will give us a strong indication of the type of football Richardson plans to play this season. Will flair players of the likes of McGrath and Aasgaard be given the opportunities they have been denied in the past?

The pre-season schedule is less than impressive, the only whiff of real opposition being in the final game against League 1 Sheffield Wednesday. Only time will tell if it can provide a fit and raring to go Latics for that tough opening match against the old adversary, Preston.

August 17, 2021: Wigan Athletic 1 Wycombe Wanderers 1

“Results don’t always match performances” is an old adage in football, but it could certainly be used in the context of this match. Wigan Athletic played some scintillating football and would have won the game with a canter had they put their chances away. But they did not and tired legs in the last quarter invited Wycombe pressure, resulting in a 91^st minute equaliser as Kell Watts was outjumped at the far post from a corner kick.

The game was so different to that we saw on Saturday against Rotherham. That dour encounter was won by a late, late header from Will Keane. This was an entertaining affair.

Leam Richardson had retained the back four that completed the previous game, with Tendayi Darikwa at left back and two specialists for that position on the bench. It proved to be a successful move as Darikwa had one of his better games. Jordan Jones was brought in on the left wing and his running and accurate crossing promised much for the future. Latics had gone ahead after 47 minutes from a thunderbolt finish from Callum Lang. The goal rattled the visitors and Latics were looking dangerous but were unable to add to their lead.

Keane’s header had hit the crossbar in the 69^th minute with Jones taken off soon after, being replaced by Gavin Massey. Massey had looked more like his old self coming off the bench against Rotherham, playing on the right. However, this time he was placed on the left where, time after time, he has failed to deliver. Richardson is a wonderful motivator of his players, but his substitutions can be unimaginative and ill-timed. Gareth Ainsworth had made two substitutions for Wycombe in the 59^th minute, the third being the huge Akinfenwa after 73 minutes. It signalled an aerial bombardment from the visitors who looked full of running at that stage compared with Latics.

After the game Richardson commented:

“I thought in the first-half we were excellent, and we were worthy of going in at half-time in-front. With the quality and the energy levels that we show, and the entries into their final third, we’ve got to be pleased.

Wycombe are a fantastic, well-drilled football team, and they are a threat from any dead-ball and set-piece, as well as from open play. If you do not put the game to bed, you obviously succumb to what we did.

I thought we were worthy to go in front and we started the second half where we left off. If we were going to be disappointed, it would be for the result, and possibly the last 15-20 minutes where we came off the page a little bit and started trading blows with Wycombe which is what they want.”

Let’s take a look at how fans reacted to the match through the message boards and social media. Our thanks go to the Vital Wigan – Latics Speyk Forum and Twitter for providing the media for the posts below to happen. Thanks go to all whose contributions are identified below:

Zeb2 commented:

Football eh ?…..probably got two more points than we deserved on Saturday ….and got two less than we deserved tonight.
not conceded from open play in 3 matches but two direct from corners.

Went way too deep last few minutes (a long standing trait with us) and invited waves of attack which caused us to crack in the end, but we should have been out of sight by HT….maybe we ran out of gas in that last ten/fifteen minutes ….unfortunately they didn’t.

C_Latic stated:

The positive is that we’ll play a hell of a lot worse than that this season and win. That Wycombe side are a very good team who like Rotherham will be right in the top six equation and we’ve absolutely pummelled them.

I’d say if we can get one more win from our next two, we’ll be a good spot heading into the international break. Then the fixtures will ease up and we can look at putting together a run.

JockLatic added:

Best I’ve seen us play in some time….shuda been 2/3 nil up at half time & thoroughly deserved our goal, such a shame we couldn’t have got a second as that would have seen out the game. Unfortunately we sat back & had little possession the last 10 mins or so n it just seemed like they were gonna equalise….didn’t think it was a corner n possibly a free kick to us beforehand. If we play like that for a good chunk of the season we won’t be far off so long as we convert the chances. Disappointed coming away from the ground tonight but only because we should have been out of sight in 1st half…..

Made in Wigan opined:

Disappointing ending but will look at the bigger picture. It’s a brand new team and we have some decent players. We can only improve as the season progresses if McLean doesn’t upset the apple cart.

We really do need to start taking our chances. Miss of the season contenders in consecutive games and today its cost us two points. Whilst Wycombe were okay I thought Rotherham looked a tougher opponent. That said I don’t think we’ve much to fear in this league though the time it will take the team to gel and for LR to find his best team and tactics means we’ll have to come from behind to make any impact of the league table.