Wigan Have a Jewell.

41 year old Paul Jewell has said he isn’t getting carried away with Wigan’s great start to the season in an interview in The Independent.

‘You need good people around you, and you need thick skin, because one minute you’re a hero, next minute you’re nothing.

He also says that he feels he underachieved as a player and that he tries to pass on his experiences to some of the players: ‘I could have done more, looked after meself better, trained harder. So now when I see players underachieving in my care, if care is the right word, I say, ‘Listen, I was you’.’

He also says that he will not make the same mistakes as a manager: ‘I want to be, not the best, but as good as I can be. That’s why I don’t leave any stone unturned. We had a great result last Saturday [defeating Newcastle United] but at eight next morning I was driving to Birmingham because we’re playing Villa this Saturday. I don’t want to be an underdog, I hate the word underdog. I want to keep striving, do my best every day. And if my best is to be in charge of Wigan, then fine. But if it’s not…’

Good news for Wigan fans? He says he isn’t interested in being England manager. ‘No, I can rule meself out now. It would never appeal to me. I like working with players every day.’

He also says that high Wigan’s high profile multi-millionaire Chairman Dave Whelan (whose fortune came from owning JJB Sports) does not interfere with playing matters despite having played in top flight football himself, before injury ruined his career.

Accusations that Wigan bought the championship last year don’t phase Jewell, in fact he says it is ‘fair enough, in a way, but money brings its own pressures. You’ve still got to deliver. Jose Mourinho thinks Chelsea’s players and staff don’t get the respect they deserve and I agree with him.’

He also says he would take 4th from bottom at the end of the season: ‘Oh yeah. Staying up’s still the target, let’s have it right. If other people’s expectations change, that’s fine. But I’m a realist.’

Full interview is available at The Independent online.