‘You were a bit harsh’, that’s the feedback I got on my article about Gary Caldwell’s tenure to date, in the current issue of the Mudhutter (available in all good stockists and internets near you), ‘harsh’ indeed!!! Ok, it wasn’t especially complementary, but I like to think of myself as reasonable, and measured, and being told I’m “harsh”, makes me feel like my mum has just told my 14 year old self that she’s “disappointed” in me.
Tell me I’m wrong, shout at me or tell me to eff off I’m used to, and can take all of those, but telling me I’ve been ‘harsh’ (if only a bit) is a damn right underhanded tactic. It’s just not fair. But, I have to admit, it worked.
Had the message come through saying I was wrong, ranting at me or telling me to eff off then I’d have responded in kind, as it was I went back and had “a good think about what I’d done”.
It would be easy in the light of a 5-0 victory, to hold my hands up as say I was wrong, or to try and take credit for Caldwell coming round to my way of thinking, but neither would be true. Apparently the main reason that I was ‘harsh’ was in saying that Caldwell didn’t feel “very Wigan Athletic” at the moment and I stand by that.
Yes, he’s one of us, says a lot of the right things, but it’s not been coming through on the pitch and it’ll take more than one game to change that. But, it’s not the end of the world. Unlike his predecessors, he has the right attitude, personality and background to be a perfect fit for Latics.
But, as any parent will tell you, fit can be a tricky thing. Your child wants their clothes to fit perfectly, right now. You know that just stupid that you need growing room. It means things might look a little bit scruffy, a little bit baggy and loose in some of the wrong places for a bit it’ll be worth it in the end.
Caldwell as a new, young manager is no different. He was always going to need growing room. Things were never going to perfect from day one and he was always going to have his scruffy days.
Everything slotted into place on Saturday but don’t be surprised if tonight’s a bit baggy again, Peterborough have been going well and should prove a tougher opposition than Colchester. Don’t be surprised, and don’t be upset either, because it’s all about growth and if there’s one thing we can take from Saturday’s game it’s that Caldwell & his team are growing in the right direction
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