Gamble to reach the Premier League promised land is wrecking clubs
ENGLISH football is in danger of losing its ‘Crown Jewels’ – and will pay a heavy price unless more is done for lower league clubs.
That’s according to Roberto Martinez, the man who brought Wigan Athletic the greatest prize in their history.
The Belgium boss has looked on in despair as his ex-club’s future has been thrown into peril following a disastrous takeover. And he believes the unique appeal of a country capable of sustaining 92 fulltime clubs is in real danger.
“The whole heritage of British football is at risk,” said Martinez. “The Football League and the FA should make a real effort to protect these institutions, as I do feel the problem is getting worse.
“The English league system is the envy of countries across the world, and those Football League clubs are the Crown Jewels of world football.
“But more and more clubs are trying to gamble to get into the Premier League.
“Some clubs do all they can to get into that top 20 and there’s a real threat that clubs stop being run properly.
“We need to reinforce the role of the custodian, rather than the owner. And I think the Football League needs to make it a lot safer for the clubs to get the right owner.
“You look at the situation of Wigan Athletic, which was one of the best and most well-run clubs in the country. In one of my seasons in the Premier League we even finished with a positive balance one year.
“There should be more control – we can’t have a situation where owners’ decisions can put the entire history of a football club in danger.
“The fans are in a position that they don’t deserve.
“We need custodians at clubs who really look after that history. You can’t allow bad management to put a hugely important institution at risk.”
Martinez has a very special relationship with Wigan. He arrived at the club as a 21-yearold player alongside fellow Spaniards Jesus Seba and Isidro Diaz back in 1995.
He was tempted to the North West by the imagination and ambition of then-owner Dave Whelan.
But now he says: “There is a real threat to the English football pyramid. This is serious. Something has to be done.”
The fans who idolised him as a player and manager would doubtless agree.