Winging it

Only one of the men mentioned in this article was an actual genius

When something is not working, you have to change it. I think it was in Harry’s Bar on Wallgate in the late 1940’s when Albert Einstein first uttered this immortal line, but yes, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again. IT’S NOT WORKING. We had Preston fans telling us this when the manager was appointed. He will insist on playing wing backs (for three years in their case) despite not having players specialised enough to do it.

I wouldn’t mind but Wycombe, like Donny, weren’t even a decent side, so on this occasion, our wing backs did get forward, well, Hungbo did at least, but too often our wing backs are pinned back against any team, and doubled up on, because they have a full back and a winger. This style of play also completely neglects the midfield, which is arguably where football matches are won and lost. Josh Sheehan getting the freedom of the middle third of the pitch the other week springs to mind.

We only have two out balls, the long ball down the wing for our one wing back to try and win against two opposing players, or the long punt up to the forwards, whom themselves are often outnumbered by centre halves or defenders. Furthermore, the absence of a midfield or rigidity down the wings just puts the back three under pressure, and drags them all over the place, which is why we’ve seen all three of them have moments of mayhem throughout the season, which simply didn’t happen last season. Nobody knows what they are doing, and if wasn’t for Sam Tickle, we’d have been a good ten points worse off this season, with only Port Vale propping us up.

It isn’t working, you know it, I know it, deep down even Ryan Lowe must know it. Does the board and owners know it? Do they even care? My only thoughts are that it has maybe worked in the past for Ryan Lowe, in League Two at Plymouth and Bury and to a lesser extent at Preston but maybe this system only works when you are the dominant force and you can afford to buy specialist players for that role. I’m thinking Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Alexander-Arnold, Frimpong or our very own Reece James, born and bred in Wigan. Closer to home, I’m thinking back to when Roberto Martinez signed a chunky lad from Birmingham called Jean Beausejour. When you are clearly shopping at Home Bargains not Booths like we are, it all gets a bit more challenging. Square pegs in round holes. Not only that, we have also let half-decent players go because they don’t fit the system. Jon Mellish got booted straightaway. Luke Robinson has his limitations but improved as a pure full back with a decent run in the team. And who’s going to come in on the wrong side and curl one in the top corner since Jonny Smith got offloaded to Gillingham? None of them world-beaters but decent honest pros, dispatched and sidelined because of one man’s stubborn-ness, when signing permanent players seems to be like trying to crack the Da Vinci code for the current management and owners.

And finally even if this system did work once, football evolves and just like dinosaurs, methods and style of play die out and become extinct. Modern coaches adapt to current thinking or get left behind.

The other theme doing the rounds is that the manager has not been backed. If we compare this time last year to the summer window. In January, Maloney was permitted to sign some crock on loan from Oxford to replace Hugill, oh and by the way Shaun, we’re flogging Josh Stones and keeping the money. In the summer, Lowe got to spend, let’s say £500-600k combined on Saydee, Costelloe and bring Mullin in on loan. There was always a sub plot that Maloney used to give around some coded messages around budget constraints, but this is a not a badly funded squad. It might not be top ten as supposedly the wage bill is, but it is far better than the performances we are seeing and that ultimately comes down the head coach.

Replacing your manager is a dangerous, drawn out, fraught affair but the bottom line is that it feels like someone, somewhere must be able to get a better tune out of these players than we are currently seeing. And it feels like Lowe’s time is up unless something drastically improves quickly. So, over to you, whoever is running this football club of ours. I really have no view on the owners, other than to say, I don’t genuinely believe there are dark arts at work, it’s not a managed decline, it is more likely to be completely down to a complete lack of interest on their part. I completely get that we are low on the Danson family’s priority list. But there needs to be a statement, some form of communication with the fans right now. And not just those fans who are permanently agitated, it seems that there is an almost universal anger and disapproval with the current state of play.

Just tell us the truth, we can handle it. How it looked last season, was that Maloney was given scraps to feed off and did his best with what he had. His efforts weren’t good enough for the board, and some of the fanbase and he was removed. Bringing in Ryan Lowe, and giving him money to spend this summer, was a statement of intent, so fair enough, we get it. Promises of attacking football to bring the crowds back, I was all for that. There was even talk of a long-term plan from those at the top within the club. Well, I’m sorry, but football clubs with a long-term plan do not sign and despatch a constantly revolving door of loan players. They do not have 18 players who are currently due to leave in the summer. They do not sack one manager who wants to play one way, and then hire another who plays the completely opposite way and requires a completely different squad of players to do it. Especially when players do not come cheap and funds do not appear to be forthcoming to bring them in. And even if there is a long-term plan, what happens if it isn’t working? Do you stubbornly stick to it, knowing that it will only drive our club further down the leagues? Or do you ACT like a board who are custodians of a football club that means the world to Wigan Athletic fans, and take corrective action?

I’ve no idea if our current status is down to naivety or disinterest, but it is time for a re-think, unless you want this club to drop down into League Two. Lack of action will only confirm that you do. Just open your mouths and tell us the truth. Because otherwise your silence speaks volumes,