The Fight For Survival - Wigan Athletic

[ollieconnolly]

March 3rd, 2012

The DW stadium was left virtually empty ten minutes before Andre Marriner blew the final whistle, but as full time was signaled, the typically loyal fans began a full rebellion, as boo's rang out all around. A 2-0 home defeat and rooted to the bottom of the table, confidence at an all time low. The pace of the game was stagnant and laborious; the Wigan fans have had their say and put it firmly in the owner mind that even at this late stage in the season a change is necessary.

Interestingly tonight Dave Whealen has expressed some shocking quotes, ‘At the moment we’re doomed, there is no spark and the team selection and style worries me.’ ‘As i’ve said in the past without investment we are between 3 and 4 years from bankruptcy, and without the Premier League it could be a matter of months, I now have to weigh up whether to roll the dice to keep the club in the league or not.’

It is understood that these quotes are directly addressed at manager Martinez, with bookmaker Paddy Power slashing the odds on his dismissal to 1/7. We await further news on developments from the North West of England.​

League Table



Aside:

As you can see ive recreated the table to as near todays result and date as possible, the table is perfect bar Goal difference (for some reason Bolton remain above Wigan in the table despite a better goal difference? so theoretically the table is correct)...
Before i get streams of people asking i holidayed to the day edited the table with FMRTE, and then hit continue and wollah there we go, if anyone wants the game like this i'll upload the save at the drop of the hat and you can just retire the manager...
I'm Using the latest JPWoody update (excellent btw)
This will be an immersion save, and story very much like my previos 'The King Is Dead, Long Live King Kenny' and not just screenshots of the matches...
Follow me on Twitter for all things FM and Football in general @OJAllSports
And feel free to ask any questions ...

 

[ollieconnolly]

Breaking News: Wigan Confirm Martinez Exit

Dave Whealen has confirmed that manager Roberto Martinez has left the club by mutual concent. In a short statement the Wigan chief says, 'It is with great regret that Roberto has offered us his resignation and that we have had to accept it.' 'We have had some great times over the past few years, but the way the club is set it is hard for us to drag ourselves out of the danger zone, I want to thank Roberto for his work for the football club, wish him every success and we promise the fans that we will move within two days to appoint a succesor in time for the trip to Fulham.'

Out of work manager and former Wigan favourite Steve Bruce has been placed as the bookies favourite with Lee Clark named as 2nd favourite and Gus Poyet as the 3rd.​

 

[Jamo456]

Great start mate, like the detail you went into with the table etc.

 

[Geneharper]

An excellent beginning. Sadly, a very plausible scenario for Wigan, although I don't think Martinez is going to be sacked. Wigan seem to really like him.

 

[ollieconnolly]

5th March

Ive been out of work for far too long now, its been urking me to get back into the day to day running of football management, I sit and see my name linked to jobs and when they come around nothing, my agent has no contact.
'You need to get yourself in the job window Rafa,' Jorge says to me, I told him to get me a job any job, until the summer, he duely obliged.

​

I pulled up to the DW knowing exactly what to expect, a side that was almost certain for relegation in a town dominated by Rugby with a sub-standard squad. But living in the north west of england and with no job offers coming my way, i saw it as a perfect chance to show of my skills once more in the hope of a big move in the summer, i knew it would shock many people but i honestly saw it as a great opportunity to get me a move in the summer. I was to be gathered infront of the press tomorrow and i knew id have a certain deal of explaining to do. FACT.

 

[ollieconnolly]

Great start mate, like the detail you went into with the table etc.

An excellent beginning. Sadly, a very plausible scenario for Wigan, although I don't think Martinez is going to be sacked. Wigan seem to really like him.

Cheers, yeh he wouldnt be sacked but he would walk in the interests of the club i can imagine

 

[ollieconnolly]

Wigan Press Conference:

DW: Welcome guys, I'm delighted to be able to introduce the new manager here at Wigan Athletic, we'll both be open to any questions so fire away...

Dave, was it a difficult decision to get rid of Roberto?
I have to say, the meeting i had with Roberto that day was my hardest day being involved in football, although i did not ask him to leave the club but i made it clear that the current set-up wasnt working, he told me that it was all to much for him and that he was struggling with the stress of it all, and that it would be in our best interests for him the club, and for that i respect him deeply.

Onto Rafa Dave, are you overwhelmed to have got him and whats the term on contract salary/lenth?
Well i was told about Rafa's interests in getting back in the league with whoever we contacted him and to my astonishment he was more than happy to come and work here. In terms of contracts we aren't silly, we know we're not good enough to attract someone of his talents and he;s here just till the end of the season to help us out and put himself in the shop window, i honestly believe he'll be at Spurs or Chelsea come next season, be with Rafa here we couldnt have a better chance with these players of staying up, after these 11 games i imagine Rafa will move on.

And you Rafa, Happy to be here?
ok,yes, no im delighted to here ive been out of work for to long y'know and i just wanted to be involved again, as the chairman said i have an opportunity here to showcase my talents for a move.

And do you think you can keep the latics in the league?
ok, so we're are not too far of those above us but picking up points is so difficult in this league, all i can say is that i will chuck my all at it and come the end of the season nothing will have been left at the training ground if we stay up we're good enough, and if we go down we wern't.

Will you be in the Dugout for the fulham game?
Yes i will take my first training session after this and yes i will be in charge for fulham away.

​

 

[ollieconnolly]

I had one day in the job, and was immediatly thrust into my first game away at Fulham, I had recieved a text of Martin Jol the night before with a good luck message. With barley knowing the players i set out a 4-5-1 system i wanted to play and asked assistant Graeme Jones to help flesh out the team. The squad was already struck with several injuries leaving the first team too its bare bones.

we went in with the following side...

Kirkland
Stam Caldwell Gohuri Figueroa
McCarthy Diame Watson
Rodallega Crusat
Di Santo


Benitez Inspires Wigan As They Raise Themselves Of The Foot Of The Table

Fulham 2-3 Wigan
Emanuel Villa (33) Ruiz (67), Crusat (5,31) Di Santo (39)

An excellent performance from the lads, was very impressed ive called a clear the air meeting for the morning, but today the players showed real fight, Crusat looks a player something i havent seen in previous Wigan games. We dominated the midfield and McCarthy who id given the Captains armband took on the responsibilty and drove the team forward. Bolton won at home to West Brom so we raised ourselves up to 19th whilst sinking Steve Kean's Blackburn to rock bottom. ​

 

[The Ultime FM God]

Very good start mate, and it's very realistic as well.

 

[AM32]

Great story! Is it possible to start an FM game midway through a season?

 

[kelv11]

interesting story so far, looking forward for new updates...

 

[ollieconnolly]

Great story! Is it possible to start an FM game midway through a season?

it is, you just start unemployed and have to edit the table yourself then add a new manager profile.

Thanks for all the positive feedback already its really great having just started, will get more updates up today

 

[The Ultime FM God]

Great story! Is it possible to start an FM game midway through a season?

i'm not sure about halfway throughout this season without holidaying, but you could start halfway from last season by loading Brazil, that could be an interesting read

 

[wonderkid360]

good story mate

 

[ollieconnolly]

We sat down for clear the air talks with all the players, they knew it had not been good enough this season, and i wanted to see why they were so short of conifdence and what had been going wrong. I told them the truth that i was a quick fix to keep them up, and that I would not expect anything other than 100% in every game, and staying in the Premier League. The players confirmed to me that they had not been good enough but that under the old regime they were not held accountable for their mistakes, captain Gary Caldwell told me that 'Roberto was too nice to us, we played well every week, which is clearly bollocks as we're rock bottom, some lads here cant differenciate between the performances and belived him when really those lads needed a kick up the ****.'

I took all the squad said on board and confirmed to the squad that gary qould remain as the skipper for the remainder of the season, but that young James McCarthy would be the Vice-Captain he showed more heart than anyone in the game at Fulham, he was clearly the future of the club, I laid out a very strict code of conduct to them and stated that anyone found falling foul of the rules would simply be fined or suspended.

​

 

[ollieconnolly]

Wigan Suffer Confidence Crushing Defeat At Home To Sunderland

Wigan 0-3 Sunderland
Yarmolenko (51,65) El Mohamody (62)

A Crushing, crushing defeat, soul destroying. We had suffered a torrid amount of injuries to our defence so set up with a side with deffinitive lack of quality at the back.

Grandel
Stam - Boyce - Figueroa - Soava
McCarthy - Diame - Watson
Rodallega - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Moses
Di Santo

The defeat was difficult to take, and was compounded when Gary Caldwell was ruled out for the remainder of the season, we now lack a leader at the back and leaking goals to a side as poor going forward as Sunderland has been a real eye opener, and I have began to worry we have now fallen back below Bolton at the foot of the table.

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Crusat Suspended By Wigan!

Albert Crusat has been suspended by Wigan Athletic for 'breaching club rules' Wigan's website has confirmed that Crusat has been suspended 'Indefinatly' by new manager Rafael Benitez, the suspension comes just days after a horrific 3-0 defeat at home to Sunderland, and after reports surfaced in the Wigan Chronicle, that Crusat had regularly missed training and was found falling out of Manchester night club just a day following the defeat.​

 

[ollieconnolly]

Arsenal Crush Wigan In Humiliating Defeat

Arsenal 6-1 Wigan
Van Persie (13,84) Willian (34) Gervinho (50) Vermaelen (72) Walcott (90+2) Rodallega (67)


It was a poor showing from the boys, I know just how difficult it is to go to the Emirates perticularly with a player like Van Persie in irresistable is clearly too good for a squad of our quality. what disheartened me most was once again a lack of fight in the lads. Theres not much more than can be said on this game other than we have to wash it out of our heads and move onto the run of winnable games we have. Next up Aston Villa at home.

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Whelan: Go Down And You're All Out Of A Job!

Wigan Owner Dave Whelan has today criticised his players for showing a lack of fight, and has issued a harrowing warning to all at the club. Whelan has been quoted as saying 'We have shown no desire in the last two weeks, and i'll be informing the players that if performances continue like this and we're relegated they will all be released or sold. If they cannot fight for the community they dont deserve to be here, and we will be a mid-table Championship club but with players who show heart.'
Whelan was also asked about renewable contracts for players and staff. 'There will be no contract renewales before the end of the season.' 'All the backroom staff are out of contract in the summer and the'll have to fight to save their jobs, ultimatley i will leave it up to the new man in summer as to what he wants to do with them.'​

 

[ollieconnolly]

Wigan Respond To Owner With Battling Win

Wigan 1-0 Aston Villa
Di Santo (64)

Wigan today responded to criticism from their owner with a battling performance he had demanded, Manager Rafael Benitez had set the side out perfectly who still are missing the flair of Crusat currently under an in house suspension. In what was a scrappy game, a bizzare goal gave Wigan the lead when Shay Given miss kicked the ball straight to Franco Di Santo, who duely rounded the keeper with a cool finish.



Ok,so, we have put ourselves right back in the hunt to stay up, the win has lifted us up just to 19th, but with the pack being so bunched up we have a real opportunity of getting out of it. I was greeted by the owner with the poor news that Mohammed Diame has signed a pre-contract agreement to move on, of course i will be gone before this takes effect but it brings into question the players loyalty to the club and whether or not to play him.​

 

[*Jamess*]

Can you upload the save please?

 

[ollieconnolly]

Can you upload the save please?

Of course mate here you go Premierleague March 2011.fm March 2011.fm maybe for some added realism move Samba to Anzhi, and Arshavin to Zenit,
Plus a bit of advice for some reason LA Galaxy dont wish to renew the contract of striker who looks good enough to slot into the premier league in Robbie Keane so release him, and he could be a good short term fix for over half the division