Graham Barrow makes Wigan Athletic new boss admission - '...left it too late...'
Graham Barrow knows a thing or two about Wigan Athletic making a managerial change during the second half of the campaign in an attempt to avoid the dreaded drop.
Back in March 2017, Barrow was handed the reins following the sacking of Warren Joyce with Latics desperately trying to avoid the drop from the Championship into League One.
Fast forward almost nine years, Barrow - along with Glenn Whelan - is holding the fort while the club assesses its options following Saturday's sacking of Ryan Lowe.
Despite Tuesday night's home defeat to Reading leaving Latics two points adrift of the safety mark, Barrow is adamant there is more than enough time - and quality in the dressing room - for whoever comes in to guide the club to safety.
"It's a big job," acknowledged Barrow. "Because mathematically it tells you. But I remember taking over after Warren Joyce.
"I think our chief executive (Jonathan Jackson), who was an accountant, thought mathematically it was possible. But the games left were Aston Villa at home, Newcastle away and Leeds at home!
"We had to find top-of-the-league form to stay up. I never give in, but we left it too late. This is definitely do-able, though. For anyone coming in...there is enough in the dressing room.
"I see them on a day to day basis. They are very responsible...sometimes too nice...because ultimately you are in a battle
"Going back to the Premier League days, we never had the best players, but we had good players...and when you get beat 9-1 at Tottenham then win your next game, then you have to be mentally tough.
"They recover better than players at this level. That is something we have to be aware of and keep the positivity up."
Latics did show improvement, especially during the first half, of the 2-1 defeat to Reading in midweek.
"We've been suffering from confidence levels," recognised Barrow. "There was a bit more intensity to our game in terms of going after the ball.
"We were moving around the pitch better as a team. It gives you a platform to win the game but unfortunately it didn't work out.
"The fans got behind us, but that doesn't surprise me. I knew we would get a response.
"I keep telling the players this is a working class town, and they want the players to give everything, show everything. As long as we keep on that line we'll be fine."
Barrow and Whelan made five changes to the side that was spanked 6-1 at Peterborough at the weekend.
"We picked the team more or less between us," revealed Barrow. "We had a joint input. We had a couple of disagreements, but were pretty much on the same page.
"We agreed on the pattern and shape of the team more than anything then players were slotted in."
Reflecting on the departed manager, he added: "I have a lot of respect for Ryan, and what he's done. He's won things - the hardest thing in football - and this isn't on him...it's more.
"We started to look for other ways of scoring and it left us more open. We tried to batten down the hatches and I was quite pleased with the attacking play as well. That was all just one session."