simmo_2 6 Posted July 22, 2017 Delia likes to copy David Whelan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lake district canary 4,520 Posted July 22, 2017 I know your post is probably a derogatory one and of course Whelan had a vast fortune compared to Delia, but a similar thought occured to me a while ago, not with Wigan, but with Crewe. Crewe still have the philosophy that they had with Dario Gradi - an ethos that was based on producing good young footballers and bringing them through. A club that had to live within it''s means - like Norwich - and an academy that was necessary to the club''s development. Gradi used to complain that the win at all costs mentality was what was spoiling the game and that playing the beautiful game was needed. Crewe and Gradi''s pholosophy worked very well in producing players that went on to be in the first team and then on to better things. Now before anyone says "I wish we were Crewe", the big difference between Crewe and us is that we are a bigger club with more resources and therefore have the potential to be a more successful club than Crewe are ever likely to be. This I believe is what Delia and the club are after and her continued attempts to have a long term manager/system in place. The Gunn experiment was designed to be a long term project, the Lambert one, the Hughton era was supposed to transform the club and was supposed to be a long term one, even the Adams era with it''s similarity to the Gunn experiment was supposed to be long term and the Alex Neil was going to be the young manager who would see the young players through long term. The problem with all these attempts was of course that results were deemed the most important thing and each one (apart from Lambert who was forced/wanted to leave - delete whichever you think is applicable) in the end failed to get the results that woud keep them in the job long enough to see through the process. The demands to try and stay or get back to the premier league kyboshed them all and never did we get to the situation where we could concentrate on building something from the bottom up - all money available had to be spent getting the most expensive players we could afford to try and match the requirements of getting to or staying at the top level. So that has been the situation.....until now. The reality check has occured. We are where we are. The parachute money will stop. The overpaid, underperforming players have largely gone. The club is finally in the position of having an academy that is producing stars who can move into the team, do well for us and on to bigger things (Jacob the first one to do it for real). The management team is in place that have the ability and talent to bring a lasting philosophy to the club, passing and possession based football (Norwichalona?) and the commitment to younger players and those in the academy. The future is bright in my view. We have stability at the top of the club in the form of owners who have protected the club from rich speculators. We have an ethos of bringing younger players through which is staring to bear fruit. We have the best young Sporting director available and the talent of a coaching team from one of the best clubs in Europe. The pieces are all in place. So yes, we are following the blueprint of another club, but not Wigan. Crewe are a shining example of an ethical football based club. They don''t have the overall resources/fan base to take their ethos to the next level of success on the pitch.............but we do. And I believe, we will see that success in the next few seasons. Even if we don''t get promotion straight away, the football is going to improve, the enjoyment will return to the football we see and as with Swansea, if we get it right and se it through, success will follow. Exciting times. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
king canary 7,455 Posted July 22, 2017 Following Crewe is exciting times? Really? Watching all your best young players being sold off while bouncing round the lower divisions? I''ll pass cheers. Also this very ''ethical'' club employed a paedophile coach in their youth teams despite the fact he was so notorious that he was forcibly removed from several youth team games while employed by Crewe. So yeah I''ll pass again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lake district canary 4,520 Posted July 22, 2017 I think you missed the point somewhat. The Crewe example is a lesser version of we are trying to achieve, but nevertheless, a good one. And as for your paedophile comment, well tarring the whole club because of one sicko is not very balanced to say the least. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Renoir 1 Posted July 22, 2017 If we''re copying any other clubs blueprint at all we seem to be a mix of Huddersfield last year, Swansea in 2009 and Southampton (obviously without the finances involved) If we do go up and plan on playing a possession game then we''re going to have to keep selling players year on year to build a capable team. Other clubs like Watford/Palace/WBA/Stoke/Burnley/Leicester etc have established themselves by buying height, pace and power and playing agricultural football and I think we could come unstuck again against a league full of teams like that without a serious cash injection, which we''ll probably get from selling academy products. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Masked Raccoon 0 Posted July 22, 2017 Are we or is that what you want us to do? We are in a pretty healthy state and sustainable, enough of a decent team to push for promotion. That doesn''t sound like the Wigan model to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STFU 0 Posted July 22, 2017 Well Dimmo, for a start I doubt that Delia would ever have appointed a manager who had been sending racist texts about the man who employed him! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CDMullins 435 Posted July 22, 2017 Only old Lakey could write a eight paragraph response to a original post consisting of six words. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lake district canary 4,520 Posted July 22, 2017 [quote user="CDMullins"]Only old Lakey could write a eight paragraph response to a original post consisting of six words.[/quote]Just trying to get a positive out of what was intended to be a negative thread! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lappinitup 629 Posted July 22, 2017 [quote user="CDMullins"]Only old Lakey could write a eight paragraph response to a original post consisting of six words.[/quote]Lakey would never use six words when a lecture will do. [:D] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites