Pretty simple really, after a few years in back in the premier league, have we really moved on? The obvious answer is yes cause look at our squad from where we where when we came up etc however we are still fighting relegation every year. I couldn't care less if we had a team full of McShane's (no disrespect) but we are always building and moving up in the league each season, however even when we are buying 'supposedly' top quality players we are still in a dogfight every year. This season was mean to be a 'boring' comfortable mid table finish which we didn't have to wrry about the team fighting relegation or anything like that.. It hasn't happened. Where does the blame lie? Nial? Ellis? Bruce? The squad? It's a mixture but overall I believe that we need to look at character. Keano was always looking for character over quality, remember all those last minute goals we scored!! Obviously I know believe that we have skill and technique over character. The total opposite. It isn't working. We need a mixture, cause at the minute is Bruce really better than Keane? In my opinion if it wasn't for Bruce's scouting network the answer would probably be no in all honestly. Not only that but with people blaming the sale of Bent as why we are struggling if people look back at last season the exact same thing happened. And that has to lie mostly on Bruce's door. Once I can accept, however for it too happen twice in consecutive season shows that he s not learning from his mistakes. Injuries etc fair enough have taken thier toll but it has to be more than just bad luck also it is more than just a coincidence... What do you guys think, are we really moving forward?
I think we've improved massively. The battle we're in now has nothing to do with the quality of the team, it's simply morale. I'm not sure about selling Bent, but put in Bruce's position at that time I would have taken the offer, hands down. It was a huge amount of money for a player that no longer wanted to be with the club. It also sends a message to other players that we won't play around with higher wages to keep a player like what happened with Rooney; if they say they want to go they can go. I think we've progressed from 2007, and if this sort of thing had happened before we wouldn't be able to get out of it. Now, we have hope; the squad is strong enough to compete between 10th and 6th in the premiership. Ha'way the Lads, KTF and FTM
The ethos of the club has improved massivley since Quinny and Short took over. There is a personal defiance and dedication on their part to improve the club and move us on. Hence Quinny being so vociferous about lads watching the match in the pub and Short providing us with such a generous financial investment. I believe at the top of the club, there is genuine reason to be optimistic as we have both love for the club (quinny) and serious cash (Short). So in terms of club stategy and leadership from the top, I see definite imnprovement. Our squad in theory is a massive improvement on the Liam Miller/Deano Whitehead days when Keane was in charge. Bruce is a much more experienced top flight campaigner than Keane, with a track record for unearthing good players from no where and making a relatively small club like Wigan punch above their weight. So I believe that is an improvement. But what is really getting under my skin, is why those improvements have not really improved our performance on the pitch, which when all is said and done is the improvement that everyone notices.
WE LIKE TO THINK IT BUT THEN REALITY KICKS IN, stuffed by the skunks, knocked out of all cups, crap run last season and now this one, the season started so brightly, i really started to believe the hype, only to be kicked in the teeth again. Yes we have everything in place to be a top club bar one, a manager that can identify a good buy,has the ability to deploy some winning tactics when things aren't going well, get them to play well and instill, belief and confidence in the team, as god knows my confidence has gone, So in closing without a proven first class manager we will always be Johnny come lately, history proves it.
Looking at the quality of players we have this season you have to say we have moved on player wise.Results wise,other seasons would have seen us relatively safe with the number of points we have this season so far.Consistancy is where we hav'nt moved on,thats what we lack and thats where we need to move on in my opinion.
