Dave Jones, aka Taff57 reports from the South Stand Bar at the DW Stadium, the occasion is the Fans Forum with Latics manager Owen Coyle and CEO Jonathan Jackson, the event is supporting the Josephs Goal appeal, over to Taff:
A terrific evening was held at the DW Stadium in the company of Owen Coyle and Jonathan Jackson, supporting Josephs Goal. First team captain Emerson Boyce and his wife Lucy made an appearance, young Joseph Kendrick and his family, mum, dad, brother Sam and grandparents were also in attendance.
Mrs Boyce is taking part in the upcoming Wigan 10K road race to raise funds for the Josephs Goal project, there are still places available if anyone else fancies taking part, or take part in the upcoming cycle ride to Blackpool on October 19th.
Owen Coyle sat on the stage alongside Jonathan Jackson and he answered all the questions that were put to him from the floor very well, including the difficult ones.
One supporter asked ‘whether he was happy at signing older players instead of keeping to youth’. Coyle replied that he signed players who can do a job for this club and is attempting to put together a squad big enough and capable of battling on all fronts.
He was asked about squad rotation and said that he will rotate as required and expect any players who come in to fit perfectly into the system without disruption.
Coyle commented that he ‘is pleased with the youngsters that he has’, stating that he had used the likes of Bingham and Buxton in preseason and wants them to develop as McManaman has done towards the end of last season.
Coyle said he is still looking for three more players and hopes to announce the completion of another signing by Wednesday evening, or Thursday morning at the latest. This player is a centre half and has cost a fee. Rumoured to be Leon Barnett from Norwich
Talking of Norwich, the undisclosed fee that we paid for Grant Holt was £1.5 million after being initially asked to pay £4 mil. Another striker is on our radar, and we have not yet given up on another of our targets mentioned in press reports.
Owen Coyle said he learned many lessons from taking Burnley up from the Championship, plus at first preventing Bolton from being relegated, and this will stand him in good stead for the season ahead.
Jonathan Jackson when questioned by myself said that we have had to cut our cloth according to the loss of revenue, 50% less from the Premier League. We will continue to run a tight ship.
Jackson also commented on the new training facility in Coppull, he said it is on massive site and will be of Premier League standard to help us attract the right sort of players to our club. It will take some 18 months to complete, and will house the first team the Academy at class 1 status and the under 18’s. We will keep Christopher Park and that will become the Under 16’s specialist training facility.
The players are enjoying the changes in training and playing styles introduced by Owen Coyle, and are all very keen to do well this season, and regain our Premier League status at the first attempt.
Emmerson Boyce presented Paul Kendrick a cheque for £2,000 that had been donated from the players and staff at the club to Josephs Goal, he also said that whatever amount his wife Lucy was sponsored for on the Wigan 10K he would match it pound for pound
A very good evening, raising quite a sum for Josephs Goal and very interesting listening to the words of our new boss Owen Coyle
