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.
We have seen so many awful performances over the years from Latics in the EFL Trophy. What we saw on Tuesday night ranks among the most frustrating of them. The opponents, Morecambe, had not won a competitive match in Wigan since 1963 and currently lie in 24th position in League 2 with zero points and zero goals scored in their first four matches. A 2-1 win was a wonderful result for them.
The post-match reaction from Wigan Athletic fans, who saw the game either at the ground or on television, was in most cases, predictably damning.
The EFL Trophy competition first started in 1981. Apart from the closing stages, particularly a Wembley final, attendances are woefully low. The attendance of 1,702 and adult admission at £5 per head for this game would hardly have sufficed in covering the expenses incurred in opening up the Brick Community Stadium for the game. Why does the competition continue to run in such an overcrowded calendar in Leagues 1 and 2?
Last season competing clubs received a £20,000 participation fee, plus £10,000 per victory and £5,000 per draw in the group stage, and increasing prizes for the knockout matches up to £100,000 for winning the final. Wigan Athletic won it in 1985 and 1999. Some clubs are more serious than others about reaching the later stages , with a showcase final at Wembley. But for all it provides an opportunity to test out younger players in a sterner scenario than that of U21 football.
Like other clubs Wigan Athletic usually field weakened lineups in the early stages of the competition. Shaun Maloney had made seven changes from the lineup that started at Birmingham. Latics dominated play with 80%+ possession, but could not put away their chances, other than the penalty scored by Joe Hugill. Morecambe’s goals came from a breakaway with Wigan players caught up field in disarray, together with an error from Toby Sibbick, gifting the away side with a goalscoring opportunity.
It has been a difficult start to the season for Latics with one win in six including this game. Football managers are judged by results and it is no surprise that Shaun Maloney’s tactical approach has been under attack. Moreover, many fans consider that the comings and goings over the summer have left the manager with a disjointed squad lacking in experience and striking power up front. The football on display has so often been painfully slow, offering poor entertainment for the paying spectators.
Mike Danson saved the club from extinction in June 2023, paying off a £17m debt, followed by supporting a bloated budget last season with underperforming players remaining on long term contracts with inflated salaries. This year’s budget is reputed to be around £3.6m: mid-table as far as League 1 is concerned. But even then, with such a budget the only way the club will make a profit is through more transfer money coming in than going out.
Even in the heady days of Dave Whelan’s sponsorship Latics were always going to sell if the right bid were to come in for a player. Charlie Hughes’ transfer to Hull City was a body-blow to the fans, even though it was seemingly inevitable. When the transfer was completed, fans called for Mike Danson to reinvest the money in the squad. A portion of that cash was allotted to the recruitment team who used it to sign Jensen Weir and Maleace Asamoah. Prior to Hughes’ departure Latics had already shelled a figure probably around £850,000 for the signings of Will Aimson, Dion Rankine and Toby Sibbick. A small fee was most likely involved in the transfer of Sean Clare to Leyton Orient, but at least £1m has likely been spent on transfer fees over summer.
The recruitment policy over summer was largely based on finding young players with potential. Too often in the past experienced players were brought in on relatively high salaries who had minimal sell-on value. Summer recruitment was looking at the long-term and the only players aged 30 or over to be signed were Paul Aimson and goalkeeping/player-coach, Andy Lonergan.
However, with a poor start of the season we have not seen new recruits at their best and some are sceptical whether they are ample replacements for the six senior squad players who have departed as free agents. Latics did offer a new contract to Jordan Jones, but were unable to agree terms. However, neither he nor Ben Amos, Stephen Humphrys, Josh Magennis, Tom Pearce or Charlie Wyke were regulars in the starting lineups for league matches over the course of the season. Humphrys made the most starts (23), Ben Amos none.
An important factor in summer recruitment was that all the new signings had prior experience in the EFL, SPL, or overseas leagues. Four were signed from clubs in the EPL and two from League 1 clubs.
Port Vale, Blackpool, Morecambe, Cambridge U, Brighton, Wigan
All six of the loan signings were signed from Premier League clubs. They are particularly young: five of them are 20 years old, Calvin Ramsay being 21. All have previously played on loan in the EFL with the exception of Silko Thomas. Dale Taylor is the most experienced, having 62 EFL appearances at Wycombe Wanderers and Burton Albion, although still only 20.
There has been a reduction in the average age within the senior squad over the summer. Jason Kerr and Jonny Smith are 27, Will Aimson 30, Callum McManaman 33. The remainder of the squad are less than 25 years old.
The low proportion of highly experienced pros in the squad is a concern cited by many fans. But there is also considerable concern about the changes in the coaching staff over summer. Losing both Graham Barrow and Stephen Crainey was a huge blow for Maloney. Not only does he have major changes in his playing squad, but also in his coaching support. The manager faces a difficult period with a relative lack of experience in both areas.
Maloney has been looking to sign players who can fit into his preferred style of play. Given financial constraints he has missed out on a range of players who could have added quality to his squad. Moreover, the new players coming in have been met by a much-changed coaching team. Fan concerns focus not only on the quality of the new players who have come into the squad, but also their ability to adapt to the style of football the manager prefers to play.
The fan reaction to a poor start of the season has been strong. Some call for the manager’s head. Others express their concerns about the static, repetitive nature of the football offered up to this point. So many sideways and backwards passes, a lack of tempo in the play, too many players preferring to pass the buck rather than take a risk and go forward. Others cite the lack of a combative midfielder in the style of Sam Morsy and a centre forward who can consistently challenge the central defenders, hold the ball up and be a danger from set pieces.
Chairman, Ben Goodburn, put out a welcome communique to fans yesterday, stating:
“On the field, we’ve shown real promise with strong performances against Charlton Athletic, and most recently, Birmingham City. While the results haven’t always matched our positive displays, I believe we are heading in the right direction. The performance against Morecambe wasn’t what Shaun or his staff wanted to see, but I am confident the hard work and determination of the players and coaching staff will pay off as we continue through the season. “
As always, when results are not going well, there is pressure on the manager and his staff to improve them. There is a long season ahead, with time for the team to gel and play the to the level of football that Maloney seeks. The manager perhaps shot himself in the foot by suggesting that a club with an average budget could reach the playoffs at the end of the season. However, he cannot be faulted for his ambition and what he has done for the club since he took over.
Despite so much sterile football during Maloney’s reign, with so few players being “brave on the ball”, there have been flashes of excellence. He and his coaches must insist that all players take full responsibility for the football on display and make it more dynamic. This is not to suggest that we go back to the long ball game that was preferred by previous management, which is outmoded these days. “Bravery on the ball” is what is paramount to improvement and must be stressed.
For the near future Maloney must take a more pragmatic approach to his style of play. Seeing too many players struggling to adapt to his tactical variations it would be wise to simplify his systems of play. Inverting the full backs might work with a start-studded Guardiola team, but has not worked too well up to this point with lower league players. Put it on the back-burner and keep things simple. When that system does not work and possession is lost it leads to chaos at the back.
Mike Danson has been a terrific custodian for the club during his brief time as owner. There is no lack of ambition, but he is not willing to put the club in severe financial jeopardy, as previous owners have done. There is a brave, bold long-term recruitment plan that can serve to guarantee the club’s future sustainability. Yes, there is a relative shortage of senior pros in the squad, but how many of those in the past became a financial millstone round the club’s necks?
Despite the club’s considerable debts Danson provided Maloney with funds to sign new players over summer. It is a sign of faith in a manager who deserves it for what he has done and will continue to do at the club. Danson will continue to back Maloney, History has shown that changes of manager at Wigan during the course of a season can have disastrous effects.
In the meantime, Maloney needs the full backing of his coaches to ensure that his brand of possession football develops in a more positive way, with players playing “sin miedo”, playing as a unit where the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts.
The low proportion of highly experienced pros in the squad is a concern cited by many fans. But there is also considerable concern about the changes in the coaching staff over summer. Losing both Graham Barrow and Stephen Crainey was a blow for Maloney. Not only does he have major changes in his playing squad, but also in his coaching support. The manager faces a difficult period with a relative lack of experience in both areas.
Maloney has clearly been looking to sign players who can fit into his preferred style of play. Given financial constraints he will have certainly missed out on a range of players who could have added more quality to his squad. Moreover, the new players coming in have been met by a much-changed coaching team. Fan concerns focus not only on the quality of the new players who have come into the squad, but also their ability to adapt to the style of football the manager prefers to play.
The fan reaction to a poor start of the season has been strong. Some call for the manager’s head. Others express their concerns about the static, repetitive nature of the football offered up to this point. So many sideways and backwards passes, a lack of tempo in the play, too many players preferring to pass the buck rather than take a risk and go forward. Others cite the lack of a combative midfielder in the style of Sam Morsy and a centre forward who can consistently challenge the central defenders, hold the ball up and be a danger from set pieces.
Chairman, Ben Woodburn, put out a welcome communique to fans today stating:
“On the field, we’ve shown real promise with strong performances against Charlton Athletic, and most recently, Birmingham City. While the results haven’t always matched our positive displays, I believe we are heading in the right direction. The performance against Morecambe wasn’t what Shaun or his staff wanted to see, but I am confident the hard work and determination of the players and coaching staff will pay off as we continue through the season. “
As always, when results are not going well, there is pressure on the manager and his staff to improve them. There is a long season ahead, with time for the team to gel and play the to the level of football that Maloney seeks. The manager possibly shot himself in the foot by suggesting that a club with an average budget could reach the playoffs at the end of the season. However, he cannot be faulted for his ambition and what he has done for the club since he took over.
Despite so much sterile football during Maloney’s reign, with so few players being “brave on the ball”, there have been flashes of excellence. He and his coaches must insist that all players take full responsibility for the football on display and make it more dynamic. This is not to suggest that we go back to the long ball game that was preferred by previous management, which is outmoded these days. “Bravery on the ball” is paramount to improvement and must be stressed.
For the near future Maloney needs to take a more pragmatic approach to his style of play. Seeing too many players struggling to adapt to his tactical variations it would be wise to simplify his systems of play. Inverting the full backs might work with a start-studded Guardiola team, but has not worked so well up to this point with lower league players. Put it on the back-burner and keep things simple. When that system does not work and possession is lost it leads to chaos at the back.
Mike Danson has been a terrific custodian for the club during his brief time as owner. There is no lack of ambition, but he is not willing to put the club in severe financial jeopardy, as previous owners have done. There is a brave, bold long-term recruitment plan that can serve to guarantee the club’s future sustainability. Yes, there is a relative shortage of senior pros in the squad, but how many of those in the past became a financial millstone round the club’s necks?
Despite the club’s considerable debts Danson provided Maloney with funds to sign new players over summer. It is a sign of faith in a manager who deserves it for what he has done and will continue to do at the club. Danson will continue to back Maloney, History has shown that changes of manager at Wigan during the course of a season can have disastrous effects.
In the meantime, Maloney needs the full backing of his coaches to ensure that his brand of possession football develops in a more positive way, with players playing “sin miedo”, playing as a unit where the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts.
I’m really happy with what people in the background have done, we’ve all worked extremely hard to get the squad to where it is now. I don’t see too many more coming in, maybe one or two.”
It has been a difficult summer recruitment exercise for Shaun Maloney and his staff. The previous recruitment team were shed in the upheavals over the previous months. Moreover, the Guardian newspaper reported that the EFL had decreed that the club would not be allowed to pay transfer fees until the summer of 2024.
Having rescued Latics from impending liquidation Mike Danson has kept faith in the manager, but has made it clear that he expects the club to be run in a more sustainable manner. That presents a considerable challenge to Maloney and will induce a major shift in expectations from the fan base.
Since Dave Whelan bought the club in 1995 it has never been run in a sustainable manner.
Whelan invested a large sum of money to help the club climb up to the Premier League in 2005. The first season was a great success, but Latics came so close to relegation in the second, an away win at Sheffield United on the last day of the season saving them. Steve Bruce took over from Paul Jewell in 2007 and stabilised things, albeit at a financial cost. Roberto Martinez was presented with a reduced budget when he took charge in 2009 and did incredibly well to keep the club in the division for four more years, winning the FA Cup in the relegation year of 2013.
Despite the huge increase in revenues Latics had continued to struggle financially in the top tier, with Whelan subsidising considerable losses. With large sums coming into the club from parachute payments and some £20m incoming transfer fees the return to the Championship could have been profitable. However, poor decisions were made in the hiring and firing of managers and recruitment of players. David Sharpe had replaced his grandfather as chairman in March 2015, but the net result was the frittering away of two years of parachute payments and relegation to League 1 The following season saw Latics winning League 1 but the heavy wage bill to do so largely wiped away the parachute payments coming in.
After more years of financial losses, the Whelan family sold the club to IEC in November 2018. The mysterious happenings under IEC saw the club go into administration in July 2020, before being bought by Phoenix 2021 in March 2021. Like IEC, the Bahraini ownership had poured funds into the club, but their overspending in the 2021-22 season was to become a millstone around their necks. Somewhere between £40-50m had been put into the club over those years by IEC and the Bahrainis.
Football clubs below the elite levels of the Premier League are rarely going to be good investments, as IEC and Phoenix 2021 discovered. Dave Whelan was a massive benefactor to Wigan Athletic, allowing the club to live beyond it means. He never required it to be run in a sustainable manner, constantly bankrolling it: some would say it was a series “gifts” from the local-born millionaire.
However, Mike Danson, another local-born owner, is not prepared to support the club in the Whelan way.
Most fans realise that without Danson the club could have ceased to exist. They are both relieved and appreciative, currently accepting his plans on running the club sustainably. However, with the billionaire due to take over full control of Wigan Warriors in November there are concerns of what will happen with the same person owning both the football club and the rugby league club. There are questions about whether the DW Stadium, currently under football club ownership, will be regarded as a separate entity, owned by neither club, but by Danson himself.
Given the number of players remaining at the club on bloated salaries given them by Phoenix 2021 it is unlikely that Latics will break-even financially this season. Reports suggested the budget will be set at around a third of that of least season, bringing to a figure around £6m, well over the average for the division.
Given the situation Maloney has been facing, with little wiggle room in the budget and a transfer embargo from the EFL, he has had to look for free agents add loan players. His main squad currently comprises:
Goalkeepers: Ben Amos (32), Sam Tickle (20).
Full backs/wing backs: Sean Clare (26), James McClean (34), Tom Pearce (25), Luke Robinson (21).
Central defenders: Charlie Hughes (19), Jason Kerr (26), Sean Morrison (20), Jack Whatmough (26).
Midfielders: Thelo Aasgaard (21), James Balagizi (19), Jamie McGrath (26), Liam Shaw (22), Matt Smith (22), Scott Smith (22),
Wide players: Jordan Jones (28), Callum Lang (24), Callum McManaman (32), Jonny Smith (25).
Strikers: Stephen Humphrys (25), Josh Magennis (32), Josh Stones (19), Charlie Wyke (30)
Several of those players can play in various positions in addition to the ascribed above. I have included Josh Stones in the senior squad because he appears there on the club website. The situation regarding Jamie McGrath remains uncertain, with him not having taken part in pre-season games. Reports suggest the return of central defender Kell Watts on loan, with rumours suggesting that Jack Whatmough will soon be leaving for a fee. With only one specialist right back/wing back in the squad, Sean Clare, Maloney will be looking for backup. Rumours link Latics with the experienced Josh Emmanuel (25) a free agent, ex-Grimsby Town.
Against Everton Latics played a fluid 4-4-2 system, with Callum Lang and Charlie Wyke up front and Stephen Humphrys and Callum McManaman playing wide. One expects that Maloney’s preferred formation will be 3-4-3 with Clare and McClean as wing backs and a mobile, interchanging front line of three. However, he will switch to the likes of 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 when a tactical change is needed.
Maloney’s squad is close to being complete. On paper it is not a strong as previous squads that have won the division. However, the manager will continue to work on a style of play that will help his players develop professionally. The latter is so important for the long-term survival of the club with Latics grooming young players to have significant sell-on value, unlike so many in last season’s squad.
Morale among the fan base is fairly high at the moment, but we need to expect some hiccups along the way. The Whelan years spoilt us to a large degree, but now we are getting closer to what the economics of the club will be like without him. Some fans, weaned on that era, have particularly high expectations, but will need to temper those with the reality of the present.
Pre-season friendlies can be notoriously unreliable in indicating how a club will do in the season proper. They are largely training exercises where the scorelines are so much less important than they will be when the fiercely competitive stuff begins.
However, I cannot remember enjoying a pre-season Latics game as much as I did this one. Facing Premier League opposition, they started the game with two centre backs aged 19 and 20 and a goalkeeper with just one prior senior appearance under his belt. Moreover, a central striker who was unwanted by previous management was placed on the right wing. It was bold team selection from Shaun Maloney which led to a display that helped lift the gloom the had enveloped us for so long.
Maloney rejoined the club under circumstances which were difficult at the time and became increasingly so. It got to the stage where one worried about the continued existence of Wigan Athletic football club. The situation was on a knife edge with Latics having been served a winding-up order from the HMRC with scant assets to sell to stay afloat. Due to a short-sighted recruitment policy the club had been left with an aged, bloated squad with too many players on inflated salaries, but with minimal sell-on value. The club was in a poor position to woo new owners.
Mike Danson’s takeover in mid-June saved the club from possible liquidation. Despite the turmoil Maloney had stayed at the club, helping to hold things together. It was no surprise that Danson entrusted him in rebuilding the footballing side of the club and setting it on track to sustainability.
We have since seen thirteen senior squad players depart, significantly reducing costs. It was reported that the wage bill for the coming season would be just a third of what it was in 2022-23. Seven new players have been recruited, with four on free transfers and three on loan. The pattern has been markedly different than it was previously, with all but one of the new players aged 26 or below.
It was a fine performance from Latics yesterday, their football being a delight to watch. The much- maligned Kolo Toure had encouraged the players to be “brave on the ball” but it was too much for those who were used to an antiquated physical, long-ball approach to adapt. When Toure’s brief stay was terminated Maloney came in with a more pragmatic approach, trying to get the best out of the players at his disposal, within their means.
With so many of last season’s squad already gone Maloney and his staff have been able to impart a more modern footballing philosophy on the players. Yesterday we saw players unafraid to play the ball out from the back, their teammates creating space to receive the ball. We have not seen such fluidity and movement for so many years.
Maloney’s starting lineup certainly indicated his priorities. The 21-year-old Sam Tickle had a fine game in goal, being brave and dominant in his box, comfortable with playing out from the back. In 2018-19 he played five times for England Schoolboys, conceding only one goal. The manager chose to leave the experienced Ben Amos on the bench, opting for a goalkeeper who is more comfortable with playing out from the back.
Thelo Aasgaard was paired with Matt Smith in central midfield in the first half. It is a long time since we have seen two players in that holding role who show so much skill on the ball. Smith, 22, was excellent throughout. Aasgaard, 21, was less effective in the second half when he was moved further forward. Aasgaard has made 79 senior appearances, but has never been an automatic starter. Maloney and the club clearly have great belief in him and he remains the most prized asset, as evidenced by him signing a new contract until 2028. Like so many others he has a poor season in 2022-23. Will 2023-24 be his best yet?
Stephen Humphrys was largely employed as a central striker under Leam Richardson, who sent him out on a season-long loan to Hearts last summer. It was a surprise to see him on the wing yesterday, although he had played there during his stay in Edinburgh. Humphrys showed pace and trickery, with thunderous shooting. He is 6ft 1in tall and physically powerful. Still only 25 he has all the attributes to be a top-class footballer. Can he establish himself as a regular starter and score the number of goals that his talent indicates?
We can expect more staffing changes in the coming weeks with players on higher salaries being released if they can find suitable clubs to accommodate them. This season’s squad will certainly have a different profile than that of last summer, being younger and recruited to fit into a more modern possession-based style of play.
With an eight-point penalty on their backs, Latics have a difficult season ahead. There will be occasions when the opposition adopt a strong physical approach to nullify the smooth, skilful football that Maloney seeks. A mid-table position would be an achievement, given the circumstances.
LOS THREE AMIGOS 