The proof comes in the form of result’s which Martinez has masterminded in his first two seasons in charge. During his inaugural Premier league campaign Martinez oversaw his team complete a hat-trick of big scalp’s after victories over Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. Last season the result against the so called elite teams in the Premiership proved a tougher proposition, and at times Wigan’s defensive vulnerabilities hindered any attempt to gain any momentum trying to escape the dreaded drop.
Granted they can turn on the style and mix it with the best and biggest of teams in the Premier League; as some of their results under Martinez would suggest over his two year tenure with the Lancashire club. Wigan on their day are more than capable of playing with the silk and guile that would be fitting of a top half team. But then why are they permanently rooted in the bottom three in such a precarious position during the season, until the great escape and heroic efforts on the last day. Does this suggest a lack of effort during the first half of the season on the player’s part? It certainly doesn’t appear to be a lack of talent as we have witnessed how well they can actually perform when nothing but victory would suffice.
Wigan’s inconsistencies have remained since they first gained promotion into the Premier League under Paul Jewell in the 2005/06 season, and under Martinez they have struggled to address this alarming form that has so often threatened their survival. The fact that it took Martinez and his Wigan side until the end of the 2010/11 season to record back to back victories is testament to this appraisal.
The young Spanish manager will now have to produce another miracle by trying to convince the clubs star player’s that the club are just in the beginning phases of a new chapter that will see improvements to the infrastructure, facilities and additions to the playing squad. But Dave Whelan’s stark assessment that Martinez will have to sell before he can buy will hinder any effort to improve the squad to a required level for an attempt to gatecrash the top tier of the Premier League.
Martinez has kept his integrity and loyalty intact during these last few days and next season he will look to vindicate his decision to remain at Wigan by moving the club up the Premier League table.
Only time will tell if Martinez has made the right decision to stay with a club that have up on till this point at least been relegation strugglers or will he regret what could turn out to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to manage a club with the resources of Aston Villa.
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