With rumours within the game indicating that Roberto Martinez may well be staying at Wigan Athletic despite being the number one choice for the vacant Liverpool manager’s seat, things could be looking very rosy indeed for Latics.
Martinez has always insisted that he has long term plans for Wigan Athletic and last season he snubbed Aston Villa in order to take things further with regards to football in Wigan. Roberto, the first Spaniard to score a FA Cup goal, having been brought to these shores by Dave Whelan many moons ago has a deep seated love of the town, and to the town’s advantage, he also has an an unbelievably in depth knowledge of the game and a self imposed mission to make ‘his’ club one of the best.
Solely in charge of all footballing matters at the DW Stadium, Martinez and his backroom staff, which partly consists of Wigan Athletic stalwarts Graeme Jones and Graham Barrow, have rejuvenated the club. His bright, clinical style of how he expects his teams to play is replicated from the young kids to the first team, and since January the results of this have become evident.
Obviously this has the so called ‘bigger clubs’ casting their eyes towards the biggest football team in Lancashire, and their manager, thinking that he is ripe for the picking. But Martinez is nothing if not absolutely astute when it comes to thinking of which direction he and his team are going.
It seems to me, having met the man on several occasions, that to move now would be undoing all the good work he has already done. It also goes against his wishes to build ‘something special and long standing’ of which the local football supporters can be proud for many years to come.. Not only that, but with minimal investment and the promise of upgraded training facilities, the team is ready for take off.
Having beaten Liverpool and Arsenal , both away from home and Manchester United at home, along with being cheated out of three points against the European champions at Stamford Bridge, whilst the club was fighting relegation, remember, the proof of the pudding is already being tasted, if not fully digested just yet.
This week is a massive cross roads for the club and if I was Mr Whelan I would be giving Martinez whatever assurances he needs, ensuring that the Spanish maestro’s place in world football is at Wigan for the foreseeable future.
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