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Wigan Oman trip could prove vital
Gary Caldwell celebrates - Bolton Wanderers v Wigan Athletic
GARY Caldwell reckons Wigan Athletic’s week in Oman could be the difference between staying up and going down at the end of the season.
Latics took advantage of a weekend off by jetting out to Ali Al Habsi’s homeland, primarily for some warm-weather training but also to build up the Latics brand in a relatively untapped part of the world.
Tonight, Latics will take on the Oman national team in a friendly match, with a capacity crowd expected to descend on the Seeb Stadium to catch their first glimpse of a Premier League side on home soil.
The Wigan squad have been treated like kings both on and off the field since their arrival on Wednesday, and Caldwell hopes it will provide the perfect fillip to retaining their place at the top table of English football.
“There’s been plenty of time for rest and recuperation, but we’ve also managed to do some great work on the training ground,” Caldwell told the Evening Post.
“But as well as the training, the trip’s also important in terms of bonding off the field.
“There’s been meals, golf, events organised in the evening – and just being together as a group will cement the bond between us for the tough months that are ahead.
“Spending the whole week in each other’s company will hopefully create a real togetherness that we’re going to need in the games that are to come.
“The last three months of the season will be a big test of our character, and we’re going to need every single player to stick together if we’re going to do something.”
Roberto Martinez will give every member of the travelling party some game-time tonight, with Al Habsi poised to play one half for his club and the other for his country which is sure to go down well with the natives.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 14 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
mona
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 12:23 PMEverybody is entitled to their opinions. However, if your views are supported or even promoted by the club,then we are long overdue a change in stewardship. That is my opinion and nothing that has been said that has made me change my mind.
Scarecrow
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 10:21 AMDilbert Aunt Sally sends her regards.
Dilbert
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 03:47 AMScarecrow, I see you've left your 'thinkin ed' with Aunt Sally again. Why don't you potter off back to the other straw brained lot at RLFANS.Com. (The thread about the Warriors planning on taking over the Latics and the DW is particularly hilarious and should fit in well with your deluded fantasies.)
WAFC1
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:52 PMWBA were competing for trophies in the top division when we were non-league, after increasing support ten-fold and what not, I'm not sure what more we can expect. We're punching above our weight as all things being equal staff wise, many Champ clubs still have more fans, money and potential, we just happen to have managed our resources better.
mona
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:27 PMWBA are a good example of how not to get into debt and survive at the highest level possible. I liken latics to a company run by accountants who give the board the good news ...we've pared our costs to the bone. The bad news.... nobody wants our product and in 3 months we won't have a product to sell. If the club don't know what it takes to increase the revenue and survive then they are in the wrong job.
Scarecrow
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:19 PMDilbert 'One Latic's player is worth all the Warriors team'. Pity they don't play as good as the Warriors players.
WAFC1
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 03:47 PMWBA changed their manager last season and stayed up, we didn't change the manager and stayed up, I'm looking more at how they've opereated over the last 10 years. If you have some theory that will bring in more money and shoot us up the league tell the club, if you look at the official site the latest figures are released and I don't what drastic change could be made, there'es always tweaks and small improvements.
Dilbert
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 03:04 PMScarecrow, what you say is subjective and, with respect, if it was as good as you think it is it wouldn't be a minority sport would it? Good win on Saturday though - let's hope Latics can do something similar against Villa.
mona
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 02:09 PMI think the ground is owned by DW. The fact that Diame isn't playing puts him in the same category as Rodallega, i.e out of contract. Al habsi is an asset, but we are struggling with the rest. The comparison with West Brom is a joke. They were prepared to bite the bullet and sack the manager when results were bad. It does not mean that we have to have a sugar daddy. The fortunes of the Latics could be changed overnight with the right approach.
Scarecrow
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 07:29 AMDilbert A minority sport which is more entertaining and exciting both on and off the field then today's football.
WAFC1
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 02:10 AMEvery club from the very biggest to the smallest is 'saleable', it all depends what someones willing to offer and how desperate you are to sell. Short of someone willing to spend tens of millions of their own money on Latics I can't see why anyone would be urging for change at the top, unless such a sugar daddy comes along it's extremely important Whelan's ultimate replacement (whether that be a new chairman or owner), can run this football club sensibly, aspire to be like clubs such as WBA rather than throw it all away like Portsmouth.
Dilbert
Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 05:30 PMSorry elven - but you're deluded. The ground is owned by Wigan Athletic, not Whelan. It's only a shared ground because of an agreement with DW. If & when the new owner takes over, he might not be so keen ground sharing with a team playing a minority sport that attract smaller crowds and MUCH smaller gate receipts than the Latics do. As for the players, Diame alone is probably worth the entire Warriors first team. Rodallega, Al Habsi, the two James' and possibly Moses would probably add another £30M.
elven
Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 03:16 PMSorry mona, but Latics are not saleable: Assets: players who are not really Prem material, a shared ground that is owned by a third party (DW)... and supertroll jones66 as #1 fan!.... need to concentrate on survival, not look for a sugar daddy.
mona
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 08:46 PMAl habsi wil be a cult figure if he's brokering a takeover!
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