Wigan Athletic

Today’s footballers are the beneficiaries of inordinate salaries; they enjoy lavish lifestyles along with a life of fame.

They are worshiped by children; young men live their lives vicariously through these stars while the older members of society condemn the large wage packets of these elite athletes.

The emergence of Rupert Murdoch and Sky Sports changed the face of football in England. Money was pumped into the Premier League with footballers now commanding significantly higher wages than the legends of the past.

Most fans will not begrudge their idols an outrageous fortune for producing mesmerising football and creating many great memories. However, one has to wonder about the detrimental effect the fame and fortune is having on the psyche of players.

Increasingly over the last couple of years, we have seen a steady increase in the number of footballers overstepping the mark and crossing the wrong side of the law. They flaunt their cash with arrogance and are willing to show off their aggressive alter egos at the slightest hint of disrespect shown towards them.

Fortunately, by in large these incidents of violence tend to be a rare occurrences with the offenders learning from their mistakes and staying clear of the ever-glaring spotlight.

Marlon King is an exception.

Last week the former Watford striker was found guilty of sexually assaulting and punching a 20-year-old student in a nightclub in London. The victim described the impact of King’s punches like being, “hit in the face with a brick.”

The £35,000-a-week star was convicted of assault and sentenced to 18 months in jail. Within an hour, Wigan chairman Dave Whelan announced that the club had sacked its disgraced forward.

The victim, Emily Carr, called for King to be banned from football for life.

Everyone makes mistakes. The modern day footballer is put on a pedestal and it is inevitable that with the adulation these players receive their egos will be cultivated and caressed, leading to some making misguided choices in life outside of the football pitch.

King, however, has a list of convictions to his name. Thirteen to be precise.

These include drunk driving and other motor vehicle-related offenses, assault, dishonesty, and violence towards a female. Previous to his most recent court appearance, King was fined for spitting at a woman for “no apparent reason” in 2005.

In 2002, he served nine months jail time for receiving a stolen BMW Cabriolet.

Yesterday the Professional Footballer’s Association chief executive, Gordon Taylor, stated that the PFA would support King and he hopes to see the 29-year-old make a successful return to football.

But King does not deserve another chance in football.

How much longer will such thugs be tolerated in our game?

The player’s agent, Tony Finnegan, announced that King would pursue another Premier League club when he completes his sentence. In court, King’s defence lamented the loss of earning (£1 million) that will result from his time behind bars.

On the other hand, the victim has been left permanently disfigured.

Finnegan added: “I don’t want to name names but there are lots of players in this country who have fallen short of the law, done the crime, done the time, come out, and I’m sure if you’re sitting in a six-by-six you do have time to reflect on the change you make as a person in your life.”

Yet Mr Finnegan seems to have forgotten his client’s previous criminal history. King’s previous run-ins with the law show his behaviour to have been somewhat short of angelic.

Ms. Carr stated in an interview with the News of the World that King had “no place on the football pitch,” saying that she believed everyone deserved a second chance but King had already had 13.

Former Arsenal ace Alan Smith bemoaned the mind-boggling wages that King received despite, as Smith puts it, being of “average ability”.

One would like to think no football chairman would want a repeat criminal on his books, but undoubtedly, a club desperate for a striker will sign up the Jamaican international once he serves his time.

It is a shame that time and resources were wasted on man who let fame go to his head.

After two successive league defeats in Manchester, Arsenal continued their return to winning ways with a comfortable 4-0 win against Wigan at the Emirates Stadium yesterday.

Nicklas Bendtner made way for Robin Van Persie, while Bacary Sagna returned at right back, allowing Emmanuel Eboue to start on the right side of midfield. Thomas Rosicky, recently returned from a long term injury lay off, dropped to the bench after his first start in months in the scrambled mid-week win in Liege.

Wigan, who were unchanged from their 1-0 home win against West Ham last week, found themselves under early pressure from Arsenal's high tempo, possession game and rarely looked like troubling the Gunners. 

Arsenal wasted a number of early opportunities before Thomas Vermaelen capitalised on the home side's dominance, taking the lead with a commanding header from a corner in the 25th minute. The 1-0 lead Arsene Wenger's team took into the break didn't do justice to their superiority, with Wigan rarely troubling third choice goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

The second half resumed in much the same fashion as the first. Wigan's continued inability to retain possession provided Arsenal with many opportunities to increase their lead, and it was first half goal scorer Vermaelen who duly obliged, rounding off a good exchange with the impressive Emmanuel Eboue to lift a well placed shot beyond the reach of Chris Kirkland in the Wigan goal.

A third goal came from an Eduardo shot deflected via Eboue, and Cesc Fabregas added a late fourth from close range. Despite the ultimate ease of Arsenal's win, the Gunners did struggle for fluidity at times, uncharacteristically losing possession on occasion, but not with as much frequency as Wigan.

Arsene Wenger testified to the combination of good football and hard work that secured the win:

"We showed our resilience, a great attitude and played with fluency. Our job is not to talk too much but to win games. We were faithful to the way we wanted to play up until the end of the game. Everybody worked hard for the team."

Few expected the Latics to come out of the game with anything and the travelling contingent would have seen little to console themselves as they made the trip back up the M6 to Lancashire. Roberto Martinez' intention was clearly to pack the midfield, disrupt Arsenal's rhythm where possible and, with some dogged defending and a measure of luck, escape with a draw. 

The discipline and application required to achieve such a result was found badly wanting and Wigan will need to improve their organisation and make much better use of rare possession if they are to gain anything against the top sides this season, with the failings acknowledged by the Wigan boss in his post match comments:

"We couldn't be ourselves and from that respect we made it easy for Arsenal. We allowed them to have that rhythm on the ball and dictate things. It's a tough start we've had to this campaign but we'll get back to our best and learn from today."

Back to the drawing board for Wigan on Monday, as they prepare for an equally challenging game at home to league leaders Chelsea next weekend. Arsenal will hope to build on this victory away to Fulham and perhaps put together a run of good form as they eagerly await the return of Andrei Arshavin, Theo Walcott, and first and second choice goalkeepers, Manuel Almunia and Lukas Fabianksi. 

The Red Devils were on riot en route to a 5-0 victory over Wigan at the DW stadium. Rooney, Berbatov, Owen, and Nani all scored to ensure a resounding comeback after the loss to Burnley.

The match had a sluggish start with both teams missing out on goalscoring chances. Darren Fletcher and Paul Scholes ruined chances to net the ball for Manchester United, while Jason Koumas missed a tough one for Wigan. Fletcher tried to net a pass from Nani but Bramble fended the ball away. A few minutes later Scholes shot the ball high over the goalpost after receiving a cross from Berbatov.

Jason Koumas shot from the penalty area directly to Ben Foster who did a nice job grabbing it.   

Few other shots on the Wigan goal were saved by Kirkland.

Wigan were probably wondering what went wrong in the second half after holding Manchester United to no goals in the first 45 minutes, as they were run over by the Red Devils in the second half with Rooney leading from the front.

Wigan got a chance early in the second half when a free kick was given to N’Zogbia off Evra but the ball marginally missed the goalpost.

Then began the goalfest, with Rooney sending a superb header into the net off a pin-point cross from Valencia. The header resembled the awesome Messi header in the 2009 Champions League Final. Rooney’s goal was a bottle opener of sorts to the Red Devils as they were all fizzed out from there.

This goal led to Wayne Rooney joining the 100 goals club.

Berbatov then cleverly scooped the ball over Kirkland and scored a second goal two minutes after the first one. Then Rooney again scored when his shot was deflected into the left corner of the goal by Mario Melchiot as he tried to stop it.

Wayne Rooney was substituted in the 72^nd minute with Owen coming on for him. Darron Gibson came on for Paul Scholes. Gibson made an immediate impact by firing a shot from the midfield which Kirkland stopped with a nice save.

Owen then got off the mark for Manchester United by clipping a pass from Nani into the corner of the wigan’s goal.

While Nani sent a free kick flying over the goal in the 88^th minute, he made up for it with a blinder when he got another free kick opportunity in the stoppage time. He shot the ball into the left side of the goal while Kirkland watched the ball swoosh into the net as if he was petrified. I can’t blame him, he had a nightmare in the second-half.

I felt as if Manchester United were like the clean-up hitters who after watching the first ball hit the second one out of the ground.

There was a small scuffle between Nemanja Vidic and Hugo Rodallega, but nothing too big. Paul Scharner got desperate near the end when he felled Berbatov and got a yellow card.

Titus Bramble was the only Wigan player who shined in the defense with a nice block off Fletcher and a clumsy yet successful tackle from Berbatov in the first half.

But the best man on the field was surely Wayne Rooney. He scored his 100^th and 101^st goals and led Manchester United all the way to victory.

To bet on Wigan finishing higher this season than last, click here.

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Following their glorious treble winning season, Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola has been hailed by almost every pundit for what he achieved at the Nou Camp in just one season. As Spain produce playmakers and thinkers like Guardiola, Fabregas, Iniesta and Xavi, this could be the season where Roberto Martinez establishes himself as the up-and-coming manager in European football in a similar mould to the Barcelona coach.

Martinez set the lower leagues alight with Swansea, his experience of English football should stand him in good stead. And whilst his smart brown shoes and suits will bring comparisons with Jose Mourinho, it is the Spaniard’s acumen in the transfer market that was so crucial for the Swans, and has seen him likened to Arsene Wenger.

Promotion from League One to the Championship was achieved by Martinez in his first full season in Wales and last season Swansea finished eighth, just missing out on a play-off spot. The football played under Martinez was some of the best seen anywhere in Britain, and if he can bring the same momentum to the Latics a top half-finish is very possible.

The dapper 36-year-old’s best signing could well be Jordi Lopez, signed from Espanyol after a season on loan with Martinez at Swansea. A fee of 1.7 million pounds was ludicrous after Lopez established himself as the finest playmaker in the Championship last season. Lopez will be key to make Wigan tick and there is no doubt he has the necessary quality.

Another former Swansea player also looks like a fine signing. Jason Scotland has consistently scored goals and, either alongside Hugo Rodallega or coming off the bench, his physical presence and goal scoring ability will make an impact on the Premier League. Martinez also used his contacts in Scotland to pluck wonder kid James McCarthy from Hamilton, the Republic of Ireland youngster has drawn comparisons with Steven Gerrard and is a potential star of the future.

Scott Sinclair is another young midfielder who could relish playing under Martinez following his loan move from Chelsea, and reports in Spain suggest Martinez is also closing in on another young starlet in French defensive midfielder Mohamed Diame from Rayo Vallecano. Throughout his spell at Swansea, Martinez proved that he has an exceptional knowledge of Spanish football, don’t be surprised when the likes of Lopez and Diame (if he signs) turn out to be two major players for Wigan next season.

To add to the feeling that Wigan should be contenders for a mid-table place and will not be fighting relegation as many think, is that there are a number of well-drilled Premier League players already in place at the newly-named DW Stadium.

Chris Kirkland, Paul Scharner, Emmerson Boyce, Titus Bramble, Mario Melchiot and Maynor Figueroa bring a solidity at the back. Seemingly every Premier League team now wants to sign Lee Cattermole and it would be no surprise if Charles N’Zogbia also improved under the tutelage of Martinez. Striker Rodallega should also benefit from picking up Premier League experience during the second half of last season.

Steve Bruce laid some fine foundations at Wigan, his buying and selling of players has allowed the Latics to become a consistent Premier League force as they proved by finishing 11th last season. But, David Whelan might have made the signing of the decade in bringing Martinez back to the club. The Spaniard is a genius and this will likely be confirmed when Wigan’s free-flowing exciting brand of football brings the fans flocking in to the DW Stadium.

***

The full Premier League finishing odds can be seen here.

Irish U-21 international, James McCarthy has chosen to join Roberto Martinez's revolution at Wigan. He signed on the dotted line after Hamilton Academical's and the Latics agreed upon a fee which could rise to £3 million.

Martinez had pin pointed the youngster as one of his primary targets right from the moment he took over for Steve Bruce, who moved to Sunderland. With a large hole left in central midfield following Wilson Palacois' move to Tottenham Hotspur, the new Latics manager moved quickly to bring in one of the most sought after young talents in Britain.

There were many teams expected to come in for McCarthy, but only Wolves and Wigan contacted the Accies about the youngster.

After James had traveled down south to meet his prospective managers, and the clubs had agreed upon the fee, clubs like Spurs and Portsmouth expressed their interest, while teams like Liverpool, Chelsea, and Deportivo La Coruna, who had all showed major interest in the past, sat waiting in the wings.

But any interest they had, if any, was extinguished after McCarthy, who had been swayed by the charasmatic Spaniard, Martinez, agreed to join Wigan.

The major reason for the 18-year-old choosing to join Wigan over some of the Premiership's more illustrious clubs is that Martinez has promised him that he will be involved with the first team this season.

Roberto Martinez stock has risen over the last couple of seasons. After making his debut in management with Swansea in 2007, the Spaniard took to the job like a duck to water and recorded his first manager of the month award only two months into the job.

To further increase his growing reputation, Martinez guided Swansea to the League One title in his debut season, scooping the League Managers Award for Manager of the Year into the bargain.

With Martinez highly regarded in the game, especially as Swansea were one of the best footballing teams in Britain, Alex Ferguson offered him the Assistant Managers role at Old Trafford only for Martinez to opt to stay with The Swans as they strove for Premiership promotion.

During his short time as a manager, Martinez has won many admirers for the way in which he has imposed his footballing philosophy onto a team with meager resources, making a mockery of some managers stances for playing "agricultural football" because they have so few resources.

McCarthy is one of the most highly regarded young players in Britain, and has courted his own fair share of controversy in his short career since making his debut at 15.

After many of Europe's top clubs scouted the youngster, Liverpool offered £1 million for the then 16 year old. But McCarthy and his manager Billy Reid decided that the best place for him to progress as a youngster was with the Accies, so the bid was turned down.

Clubs as far a Spain and Germany came to scout the youngster whose reputation was growing with every appearance, but the Scottish FA showed great reluctance to call up the youngster from the Irish enclave of Castlemilk.

The deep rooted sectarian history in Scotland seemingly showing it's head in the unlikeliest of places.

With Scotland waiting in the periphery, Ireland moved in as quickly as they could, and the rest is history.

McCarthy has gone on to represent Ireland at every level, as well as winning the Scottish Young Player of the Year award in 2009, and is now expected to earn his first cap for Giovani Trappatoni in the upcoming friendly against Australia in Thomand Park, and he may well force himself into Ireland's World Cup squad.

Accies chairman Ronnie MacDonald told BBC Scotland: "James is a superb prospect and I know Roberto Martinez and Wigan will look after him."

"We are very sad to see them go, but that is what Hamilton Accies are about—taking young boys through our youth system and giving them a chance," said MacDonald.

"They have become very wealthy young men and I am delighted for them."

"It's a disgrace that James was not capped for Scotland."

McCarthy joins Wigan's other recent signings, Jason Scotland, Honduras midfielder Hendry Thomas, and Jordi Gomez.

Roberto Martinez has plenty of work to do at Wigan, they slipped backwards in the Premiership in the last six months and if he is to re-establish them as a fixture in the EPL, he'll have to bring the best from his recent signings, the potential is definitely there, for manager, club, and James McCarthy.

Roll on August 15.

During his initial stint at Wigan Athletic, Roberto Martinez was referred to as one of the “Three Amigos.”

Now, at 35, he is on the verge of returning as manager in one of the world’s most cut-throat leagues. The English Premier League is a steep learning curve for any new manager and Martinez may soon discover there is nothing friendly about it.

Arriving at an established Premier League team and maintaining a level of stability can be one of the most difficult jobs in football—just ask Paul Ince, Tony Adams or even Gareth Southgate.

Ince is a classic example. He did a magnificent job in the lower leagues, like Martinez, and was heralded as one of the bright young things just as Martinez is now. Within the space of four months, Ince’s reputation was tarnished and although it may not be irreparable, a significant black mark has been placed on his CV.

When potential suitors now weigh up Ince it is not the miraculous job he did at Macclesfield or the equally superb task he performed at Milton Keynes Dons that will be at the forefront of their mind.

It will be his torrid three months in charge of Blackburn.

History has plenty of other examples of those who have lost their managers and gone on to descend at an alarming rate. Only last year Portsmouth were FA Cup winners before Harry Redknapp jumped ship and they nearly sank to The Championship. Charlton and Bolton have also suffered varying degrees of trouble after their managers had departed.

Despite being entrenched in plenty of relegation battles in the past, Steve Bruce had built a side which was pushing for Europe last season. He had managed to scour the globe and find some of the world’s brightest talent for cut-price fees.

Now with Bruce gone, Wigan face an interesting season with a new a manager at the helm. Martinez’s job will not be made any easier without Emile Heskey, Wilson Palacios, Amir Zaki and in all likelihood Antonio Valencia.

Martinez is, however, clearly an articulate individual. His intelligence and knowledge of the game have been highlighted whenever he has appeared on Sky’s Revista De La Liga. His Swansea side were lauded for their aesthetically pleasing approach and his time in Wales was hugely successful.

The Spaniard has regularly returned to his native country for players and this will be a big advantage for him at his new club, particularly if and when the funds are made available from any deal done for Valencia.

His previous ties with the club have made him a fan-favourite and this will provide Martinez with the time, support and freedom to insert his own beliefs into the team, luxuries which Ince did not get.

He will be keen not to repeat the mistakes of Ince and Adams and continue to build on his growing reputation. The Premier League is however a brutal industry and reputations are destroyed far quicker than they are made. Watching Martinez’s story unravel next season may be one of the more interesting Premier League plots.

Roberto Martinez may never return to Swansea, yet he will always be a swan.

A figure of complete poise and grace, the Spaniard’s elegant style will never leave him. The passion to play beautiful football will never stop coursing through his veins. His footballing philosophies will still read the same whether in Wales or Wigan: pass and move, play through midfield, and put on a show.

That’s why Swansea fans currently feel so distraught at having to wave him goodbye and why Wigan fans are so ecstatic that they can embrace him. They never thought seeing Steve Bruce leave would be so good, but Martinez has the capabilities to surpass Bruce’s achievements at the club. He can add style and aesthetics to the solid work ethic and organisation that Bruce has implemented.

Martinez can continue to preach the ugly side of the game to his new charges, but also advocate more flair so defences can be unlocked easier. Wigan can become a beautiful bulldozer.

Wigan’s huge gain means a loss of massive magnitude for Swansea, a club transformed by Martinez. The entertainment has been so good at the Liberty Stadium under Martinez’s stewardship and the results so successful that the divorce between Swansea and Martinez will take a long time to get over for fans of the club, probably all summer.

According to Swansea die-hards, losing the charismatic but cool Spaniard is like “being hit in the face by a heavyweight boxer," like “being kicked in the gonads not once but twice.”

It’s easy to see why. Since taking the wheel at Swansea, Martinez has driven the club to new heights, achieving promotion to the Championship in his first season and rebranding the style of play.

Nobody in League One could get close to them in that first campaign. Nobody could live with the speed of movement and play. Teams in English football’s second tier have not faired hugely better, with Swansea finishing just outside the playoff places with largely the same squad that played in League One.

Some of the fans’ frustration at Martinez leaving has boiled over into a storm of fury, with some supporters feeling angry that Martinez has been disloyal and unfaithful. The love affair between Swansea and Martinez ran so deep that one fan says Martinez walking out feels like “my missus has cheated on me.”

Accusations labelling Martinez as a “traitor” must be put on hold though. The opportunity to manage a Premier League team is too good to turn down after years of playing and managing in English football’s lower reaches at grounds like the Banks Stadium for Walsall and the Deva Stadium for Chester. It is time Martinez was given an opportunity at Old Trafford and Anfield.

Martinez will no doubt exert his graceful approach onto Wigan’s players. But it is just as certain that there will be many tricky obstacles that the Spaniard will encounter on his path to Premier League success.

If star player Antonio Valencia leaves this summer as expected, who will Martinez bring in to replace him? Martinez has a broad scouting network across Europe, so finding a suitable signing should not prove too difficult.

Another transfer Martinez may wish to carry out is that of his award-winning Swansea groundsman, who produced a pitch for him that Swansea could easily play their passing football on. The JJB is unlikely to have such a smooth surface if past seasons are anything to go by, when rugby league matches have made it more like a muddy farm than a football pitch.

Many observers will also point out that Martinez’s graceful approach will not work in the Premier League, that the Stokes and Boltons will find his pretty style of play out. But it must be remembered: The Championship is just as physical as its big brother, if not more so, and Martinez coped fine in that league. Wigan’s players will surely retain much of the grit that Steve Bruce cemented as well. 

Whoever comes in and out of the JJB this summer, Wigan fans can be confident they are in for a fun and entertaining ride with Martinez at the helm.

Swansea fans, on the other hand, must remember that Martinez is only leaving for professional reasons, not because his heart is no longer at the Liberty Stadium. The love affair will continue.

Martinez will always be a swan, but now is the time for him to glide into the JJB and transform Wigan into a beautiful bulldozer, destroying defences with grace and guile, not grit.  

In the eleventh edition of the "Three Transfers" series, the club now under the spotlight is Roberto Martinez's Wigan Athletic.

Having enjoyed a consistent season, Wigan have lost Steve Bruce to Sunderland, and look set to endure further loses over the summer.

Paul Scharner has publicly stated that he would like a move in the summer. Antonio Valencia has not expressed interest in a move, but seems certain to depart as many bigger clubs are targetting him.

Assuming these two leave, there will be gaping holes in the Wigan team, which has already lost Wilson Palacios and Emile Heskey in January.

The gaps within the team will definitely have to be filled with quality players, and the only positive that can come out of this is that they are likely to get good money for Scharner and Valencia, which can then be re-invested into the side.

Who should they sign though?

Here's my take...

RIGHT-WINGER

A bit of a no-brainer.

If Antonio Valencia somehow ends up staying, then this will be an irrelevant suggestion.

However, I really do not see how the Ecuadorian will still be at the JJB Stadium come August and, for the purposes of this discussion, I will assume that he has been snapped up for a substantial amount of money.

Valencia is one of the best right-wingers in the English Premier League, and his successor will have some huge boots to fill. Looking internally, Wigan do have Daniel De Ridder.

However, it is unlikely that he will step up to Valencia's level, considering he was never a first-teamer at Birmingham or Wigan.

As such, Valencia's replacement will have to be an external recruitment. While I mentioned the club would have substantial funds, convincing a player of the suitable quality to come to Wigan will not an easy task.

For example, David Bentley would probably be an awesome signing for them, and Wigan would be able to afford the transfer with the funds generated from the sale of Valencia, but persuading the Londoner to move North will be a real difficulty.

I think Wigan will end up having to set their sights lower, and I would recommend they go for Gary O'Neil.

One of the better performers in Middlesbrough's terrible season, O'Neil is a hardworking player who always gives his all for the club. This would tie in well with the rest of the Wigan squad who work hard for each other and never stop running.

Also, as Mario Melchiot is getting older, O'Neil's work-rate would be useful in tracking back to help Melchiot with defensive duties.

With Middlesbrough getting relegated, Wigan will have no problems meeting any asking price, and I think O'Neil would have no problem joining Wigan.

If that deal doesn't materialise, Wigan could opt to sign Jermaine Pennant. Once a bright prospect, Pennant has lost his way somewhat, stumbling from one club to another.

Despite his misbehaviour and supposedly poor attitude, there is no doubting his quality.

A pacey right-winger who whips in delicious crosses for the strikers, his technical ability would be much appreciated in Wigan, and he is a more like-for-like replacement for Valencia than O'Neil is, and probably more in the ilk of player Martinez will be keen to sign.

Additionally, Pennant is a free agent, as his contract with Liverpool has expired, and Benitez has shown no interest in offering him a new deal, so the Latics could find themselves picking up a bargain. If they can get Pennant to concentrate on football, then they will not miss Valencia that much.

STRIKER

Hugo Rodallega, Henri Camara, and Marlon King are the only recognised forwards left at Wigan. Camara and King are not good enough currently to hold down a first-team spot, which is why they were allowed to go on loan in the first place.

With Rodallega impressing, Wigan still need to sign one more established striker, and I think that their first priority should be to tie Mido down on a permanent deal.

The Egyptian has impressed for Wigan and was particularly effective against Arsenal, proving to be a real bully in the air.

On the floor, his technique also serves him well, so he cannot be accused of being a one-dimensional footballer. Just like Jermaine Pennant, if Wigan could get him to concentrate on playing football, then they have themselves a good player.

He would also be another cheap signing as Middlesbrough will want to move him on to help alleviate the wage bill now that they have been relegated to the Championship.

Another possible signing who would fit in at Wigan is Bafetimbi Gomis.

Once the subject of much transfer speculation, linking Gomis to the top clubs in Europe, the goals have dried up a little in his last season, (a mere nine goals as opposed to 16 scored in 07/08) and his name hasn't been bandied around as frequently recently.

He is still a quality striker and his physical attributes should help him to adapt quickly to the Premier League. Wigan could stand to benefit if none of the top clubs show an interest, as the Lactics will have enough money to prise him away from his current club, AS Saint-Etienne.

Gomis has also publicly declared that he needs to be playing in a better league, seemingly opening the door to a move to England, where his idol, Didier Drogba, plies his trade.

CENTRE-BACK

Titus Bramble and Emmerson Boyce have forged a terrific partnership in the centre of the Wigan defence. In particular, Titus Bramble has been outstanding and his performances this season should have convinced anyone, who still isn't convinced, that he is a very good defender.

Deservedly, he was voted the club's player of the season by the fans and the media, and Wigan can look forward to another good season from him, assuming they manage to hold onto the former Magpie.

However, with Paul Scharner insisting on leaving, there is no cover beyond Bramble and Boyce and surely that will be unacceptable for any Premier League club.

There are two options that Wigan can take.

They can bring in a better defender to replace Boyce and then use Boyce as cover for both centre-back and right-back, or they could bring in someone of a lower quality to act as cover.

For the first option, I would suggest they buy Sebastien Bassong.

A quick and solid defender, Bassong would be an improvement to Boyce who is also solid, but is strongly supported by Bramble.

Bassong has expressed his desire to play for a Premier League club and certainly will not stay at Newcastle following their relegation.

Wigan has got a good chance of signing him, and they should.

If Wigan look to bring in cover, they could try signing Alexander Diamond from Aberdeen. A defender who plays with his heart on his sleeve, Diamond would be a good addition to Wigan.

He is strong in the air and, while not the fastest on the deck, his determination pushes him to make an extra effort to get to the ball before the strikers.

He is a good defender and is definitely near or at Premiership quality already, despite his young age.

However, it remains to be seen if he is good enough to displace Boyce from the side and, should he be signed, would remain as cover at first.

So, those are my suggestions for Wigan to sign in the summer.

Following Roberto Martinez's take over at Wigan, his first task will be to turn on the charm and persuade quality players to ply their trade at the JJB.

A few of the above players would certainly help!

This article and more can also be found at thetipsters, a website set up by my friend Roland and I.

There is a certain nobility attached to making ends meet, but balancing books can eventually weigh down a manager. The Premier League's glass ceiling is a formidable barrier to any aspiring team, and that is why Steve Bruce is set to leave Wigan in order to take the Sunderland job.

Bruce has a well-earned reputation for leaving football clubs in the lurch, as fans of Crystal Palace would testify, but he cannot be blamed in this case. The simple truth is that his journey with Wigan can be extended no further. Sunderland may not exactly be a more glamorous option, but Ellis Short's millions at least offers a fighting chance to puncture the Premier League's elite.

It should surprise more that a club who made a challenge for European qualification this year should so meekly lose their manager to one which only secured their survival on the season's final day. Wigan missed out on the Europa League because of a late slump. With safety assured by March, it revealed a mentality unsuited to the upper echelons.

The January transfer window carried a warning however. Then Wigan had lost the power and poise of Wilson Palacios and Emile Heskey to Tottenham and Aston Villa respectively. The quicksilver winger Antonio Valencia is rumoured to be on his way this summer, possibly to Manchester United. Bruce has been adept at bargain hunting in the transfer market, but the trend of losing his best players has made Sunderland impossible to reject.

Being a selling club is not a new sensation for Wigan and it will never grow old. After an impressive first season in the top flight, when they finished 10th, Jimmy Bullard and Jason Roberts both left. Wigan do not have the necessary clout to avoid these situations.

A lack of a history and a fanbase accounts for this. West Ham had a similar season to Wigan, yet they would surely feel confident of fending off an approach by Sunderland for their manager, Gianfranco Zola. Potential at Upton Park is clear. Wigan's prospects will always appear limited.

Their position is a warning to clubs of similar standing. Fulham were the club who signed Bullard from Wigan. Under Roy Hodgson they have qualified for next season's Europa League, yet they must err on the side of caution. Success does not always breed more success. Keeping their star defender Brede Hangeland will be difficult. He may, after all, be destined for Arsenal.

Blackburn won the title in 1995 but were relegated four years later. Perhaps the title win was more of a shock. There are far bigger clubs with far greater support in the north-west. In their more recent history, Mark Hughes excelled in the dugout for four years. They became more used to a battle for a European spot than a relegation tussle, but that is what happened when Hughes left for Manchester City and was replaced by Paul Ince last summer.

Perhaps the most glaring example of this trend is Charlton Athletic. Under Alan Curbishley, the club established itself as a Premier League side for six seasons. This was satisfactory until the fans grew gluttonous by sitting at the middle of the table for too long. Claiming there was no further to take them, Curbishley left in 2006. Charlton will play in League One next season.

For these clubs, there can be no guarantee of constant safety, particularly from football's major forces. Disappointment constantly lurks round the corner and is often sprung when least expected. The trick may be to embrace it. Wigan must.  

Javier Clemente, a former Spain national coach, also known as an ultra-defensive coach, was responsible for the birth of that metaphor, says Phil Ball. While at Murcia, for an away crunch match against Real Madrid, Javi Clemente left out two of his strikers and took a collective bunch of defenders and midfielders (the "bus"). Hence the term, park the bus.

More recently, Chelsea "parked the bus" in an away Champions League semifinal match against Barcelona which riled up the Barca players, coaches, and fans alike. So a Spanish concept put into practice on a Spanish team...how beautifully ironic.

Coming back to the point, there is a small matter of a long overdue Greater Manchester derby match tonight. Small matter but high in significance as the destination of the trophy hinges on the result of this match. So if Wigan "parks the bus" to deny Manchester United victory, then Steve Bruce will have ensured that we will be in store for a most interesting remaining two matches of this season's Premier League challenge.

I hope that they do so, but it's still a tall order. Wigan have neither beaten nor forced a draw against the Red Devils since the Latics got promoted.

Wigan cannot score goals at the moment. Worse still, they are leaking goals and the Mancs are just well capable of capitalizing on any defensive error. With United possessing a 100 percent win record against Wigan, I am not sure if this could be the "mistake" that Rafa spoke of.

Stranger things have happened this season so we shall just wait and experience what this match has in store for us.