Will wigans Europa league campaign be fatal to their promotion hopes
First of many championship midweek games this week not for Wigan of course due to the Europa league involvement.
Looks like they will have to rearrange about three to four midweek games before Xmas.
Coupled with the poor start its not going to be an easy season.
This doesn't include if they get beyond the group stages where they would be even more games to rearrange.
I can't see them getting our the group as I don't think they will be good enough, but if they don't it may be a blessing anyway
Looks like they will have to rearrange about three to four midweek games before Xmas.
Coupled with the poor start its not going to be an easy season.
This doesn't include if they get beyond the group stages where they would be even more games to rearrange.
I can't see them getting our the group as I don't think they will be good enough, but if they don't it may be a blessing anyway
0
Comments
Yes, I think it will have an impact.
I wonder if Newport and Mansfields bids for back to back promotion could be impacted by their entry into the JPT.
On a side note, they take on Zulte Waregem, whose no.10 and star player is Thorghan Hazard, Eden's little brother. I wouldn't underestimate them since they finished a miraculous second (losing out on the title on the last day) in a tough belgian league (4-5 teams seperated by very few points and who play each other in play offs at the end of the season). Waregem is a tiny town in West Flanders taking on Anderlecht, Standard Liege and Club Brugge. To put into perspective, its the equivalent of a team from Wigan winning the...oh wait.
Point is, doesn't matter if it ''affects'' your league form. For these two sides and their small fanbases (which is nothing to be ashamed of, unless you build a stadium too big for it...oh wait..), its a real big deal to play in the Europa League. Maybe the owners don't give a shit, nor us supporters of big clubs, but the fans will hopefully enjoy the experience, and I wish them all the best.
We're loving the Europa league and are taking 2500 fans to Belgium on Thursday which is an awesome turn out, around 20% of our actual fan base!! This is what football is all about, we'll get promoted/relegated in the future many times, as do most clubs, but will be lucky to ever play in Europe again.
Agreed, they looked awful on the highlights. Wolves proved last season that having a great squad means nothing in the Championship.
Can see your frustration, you miss Grant Holt no doubt, you have skill in Gomez, Maloney and McManaman, backed up by Watson and Perch with McClean, that's a strong starting point for second tier side.
I hope you embrace the Europa League, take thousands away and almost fill the DW. It's a one-off and well worth enjoying :cool:
I previewed the game here:
http://www.benefoot.net/zulte-waregem-wigan-preview-europa-league/
I never want to see Wigan in the Prem again
Boo hoo Barry !!!
Birmingham did quite well then getting to the play-offs which they haven't got near since.
So how did he get Burnley into the Prem then? I don't see anyone else doing that in the near future.
I read your articles a lot mate, I'm a big follower of Belgian football as I lived in Brussels for years (Standard Liege fan though
Why are you an AZ fan though? Hmm...
Good point, but without the Europa League Birmingham could have challenged for atomatc promotion with Reading, Southampton and West Ham
Nor me. Not until that liar Whelan goes anyway.
And would the Saturday game have to be switched to the Friday then as well?
With regards to the overall question, its not certain Wigan would go up if they were not in the Europa League.
Without the huge amount of away fans they got most games in the PL their crowd always looks tiny.
It looked like they were playing a reserve game.
The more games that Powell gets, the better for them, us, and the England national side, which he shall soon grace I believe.