RICHIE REQUIRES TIME TO SPEED UP LATICS

BACK in 2012, I was walking down the driveway to Leicester’s Belvoir training ground when a white van flew past, a grinning maniac at its wheel.

I discovered later that the face belonged to Richie Wellens and the van to the Foxes’ kitman, who – after five minutes of panic – found it dumped several streets away.

Suffice to say, Oldham’s new boss is an infectious character capable of enlivening any dressing room.

Those qualities have been deftly illustrated at Boundary Park, with four wins and a draw from five games in caretaker charge, making it impossible for Oldham to ignore the 37-year-old’s claims. Now for the hard part. In an ideal world, I’m sure chairman Simon Corney would have preferred to put Wellens in interim charge, safeguarding against the dissipation of any shortterm ‘bounce’ inspired by his ebullient personality. Yet to do so would risk undermining the manager’s position.

Consciously or otherwise, would Latics’ players bust a gut for someone who’d potentially have no say in their next contract?

Such is the balancing act faced by all owners. Thankfully, Corney came down on the side of Wellens.

English coaches are increasingly thin on the ground, with Premier League openings nonexistent and Championship doors closing fast.

Guys like Wellens need all the breaks they can get – and football needs them. In an industry jammed with bland, corporate, rent-a-quote robots, the former Man United trainee is a genuine character who fans and players can relate to.

Throw in a progressive attitude to coaching and the raw ingredients are there. Now, all he needs is patience…