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Wigan Athletic owner Dave Whelan has turned to Owen Coyle to succeed Roberto Martinez and help lead the Lancashire club back into the Premier League next season.
Having beaten the likes of Rene Meulensteen – a former staff member at Manchester United – and Steve McClaren to the job, 46-year-old Coyle — who has managed in the Premier League before with Bolton and Burnley – will be hoping his experience with promotion in the past will help the Latics reach the Premier League, as he notably took Burnley to the Premier League in 2009. Having managed both Bolton and Burnley previously, Wigan will be Coyle’s third Lancashire-based club in a row.
It is believed that Whelan offered Coyle the job — reportedly a one-year rolling contract – after a round of interviews, helping end his eight-month exile from the game ever since getting sacked from Bolton.
Whelan wanted to react immediately after the club’s relegation this past season despite winning the FA Cup by beating Manchester City a few days earlier. The Latics owner also added that there were over 40 applicants for the vacant managerial role ever since Martinez left the club. Speaking to Sky Sports News, Whelan said:
“It has been a trying time, but with Owen, I just felt he was an excellent, excellent choice. If anyone can get us back, then Owen is the man to do it. As everybody knows in this area, a lot of Wigan fans will remember him from Burnley, where he won them promotion. They will also remember him from Bolton and he had a tough time at Bolton. I like his enthusiasm for the job. He seems to trust me and has a great belief in Wigan Athletic. He’s done it before and he took Burnley to the Premier League. He didn’t have quite the same success at Bolton, but sometimes things go against you.”
Things won’t be easy for Coyle; Wigan is set to lose a handful of players and is expected to sell a few due to their Championship status. Adding to the imminent rebuilding of a team, Coyle will also be managing the Latics in the Europa League — due to Wigan’s FA Cup success – which will definitely take a toll on the squad.
Coyle does have a shot at silverware, however, as the FA Cup winners will face Premier League champion Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley on the Aug. 11.
