Cook’s recipe can stop Latics yo-yoing
THE country’s ultimate yo-yo club are back in the Championship. After two promotions and two relegations in the last four years, Wigan’s supporters would be forgiven for yearning for a season or two of mid-table obscurity.
The Latics’ promotion was sealed with a thumping 4-0 win at Fleetwood last Saturday.
In a season when forwards Will Grigg and Nick Powell have received plenty of plaudits, it was fitting that some of the more unsung heroes were among the goals on the Fylde coast. Strikes from Max Power and Gavin Massey put them in control, before central defenders Dan Burn and Chey Dunkley added further gloss to the scoreline.
The dominant defensive duo have now notched 12 league goals between them. Their priority would still have been keeping it tight at the opposite end and Saturday’s shut-out meant a new club record of 26 clean sheets in a season.
They’ve been outstanding in all departments. Stingy in defence, stylish and robust in the middle of the park and potent in attack.
The 51 goals scored away from home is the most in all four divisions, 11 more than all-conquering Manchester City and 16 more than the Championship slayers of Wolves.
If all went to plan against AFC Wimbledon yesterday, Wigan are still on course to equal the club record of 100 points in a campaign.
The team they’re trying to emulate also gained promotion from the third tier and are a side I remember well. There are similarities between the two teams and it extends beyond the name and origin of the managers.
Impressive
Paul Jewell’s class of 2003 were a great side who ran away with the title. They won the league by a huge 14 points, breaking records galore along the way.
Just as in this season, they beat three Premier League teams, including Manchester City, en route to a cup quarterfinal. The most impressive thing about the Wigan of old was the spine of the team and the partnerships within it.
That strength started with goalkeeper John Filan, extended through the centre of the pitch and up to the striker, Nathan Ellington.
It’s the same qualities that I’ve seen in Paul Cook’s starting line-up. A quality goalkeeper in Christian Walton, the aforementioned Burn and Dunkley in defence, Sam Morsy and Power in midfield, with Grigg and Powell in attack.
Looking back, 2002-03 was the start of Wigan’s golden period that culminated in eight consecutive seasons in the top flight. Many of the players I faced lower down the ladder were still regulars in the Premier League years. Lee McCulloch, Gary Teale and Leighton Baines to name a few. There are certainly a few of the current crop who can rightly aspire to that level.
Required
Since promotion was secured, chairman David Sharpe has spoken of lessons learned after the previous promotion to the Championship.
In preparation for the 201617 season, 14 new players were brought in during the summer. Three managers, 24 defeats and just 40 goals followed as the club were dumped back into League One.
Continuity is important if this group of players is going to achieve further success. I think three or four new additions are required, but any more could spell trouble for a team that have a great chemistry on the pitch.
Cook looks like just the man to lead Wigan to bigger and better things. Three promotions in five seasons with a trio of different clubs is going to make him a wanted man and it is key that he remains at the DW Stadium for the Latics’ next assault on the Championship.