Wigan's last stand - The post-mortem

At the time of writing Wigan Athletic are placed 18^th in the Barclays Premier League table, relegated after amassing just 35 points in 37 games. Roberto Martinez’s side have one last league fixture before bringing the curtain down on a season they won't forget for a while. They face Aston Villa at home, a game that had been billed as a relegation decider mere weeks before it became apparent that neither side would have their fate decided by the outcome. After spending much of the season hovering around the drop zone, Villa find themselves safe with 40 points. Wigan will be playing Championship football next season, and while an FA Cup win and the subsequent place in the Europa League will put more than a gloss on a campaign which ended in bitter disappointment, the fans can be forgiven for pondering how, with the highly regarded Martinez at the helm, their side were unable to stay up.

Wigan have in recent years been known to start the season slow before ending on fire, helping them retain their Premier League status. There was evidence this would be the case once again as the side began to make a charge for safety in March; notching up wins against Newcastle and Norwich in the league, as well as thumping Everton 0-3 at Goodison Park. Despite their newfound impetus, April didn't go as swimmingly; the Latics only managing one win in five, with that coming in the FA Cup semi-final against Millwall. Martinez and his side went into May knowing that a similar showing wouldn't guarantee their safety. More of the same ensued and after one win in three league games, their eight-year stint at the top level was brought to an end.

It could have been so very different. Wigan led a Champions League-chasing Tottenham 2-1 at home before conceding in the final minute. They went ahead twice in a ‘must win’ game against Swansea – a side with nothing to aim for after lifting the League Cup and earning enough points for a mid-table finish  – only to come away with nothing after more suspect defending. A win against Tottenham would have put them on 37 points, two behind Sunderland in 17^th but still with something to play for going into the final game, while just one from the match against Swansea would have piled more pressure on the Black Cats. The North East side would have faced Tottenham at White Hart Lane, the hosts still chasing fourth and needing a win, while Wigan surely would have fancied their chances of a victory against Villa, a team with nothing to play for. Again, it could have been so very different.

So as Wigan fans start to discuss a fixture list resembling something across the lines of Doncaster on Saturday and Inter Milan on Tuesday, t

he post-mortem can begin.

Ramis - Absent from January

In Martinez’s defence, towards the end of the season he wasn’t far off not having one altogether. After starting centre-back Ivan Ramis was ruled out of the season at the turn of the year, injuries to fellow defenders Maynor Figueroa, Jean Beausejour and Ronnie Stam left Martinez having to select midfielders Roger Espinoza and James McArthur as his wing-backs for the final games. Now, although Martinez has stressed the impact that injuries have had on his side’s performances, this point only applies to the closing stages of the season. Figueroa was stretchered off in the game against Tottenham in late April, Beausejour’s season ended in the win against West Brom in early May, with Stam suffering a suspected broken leg just days later. It’s worth mentioning that Ivan Ramis succumbed to his knee injury in January, while his partner at centre-back in Antolin Alcaraz has dipped in and out of the side with various problems. However, taking into account the dates of the incidents, it seems the only thing injuries did prevent Wigan from doing was making their end of season surge. For at least three-quarters of the season, they were free to battle out goalless draws with their starting defence intact. So the point Martinez makes about injuries is for the most part invalid.

Kone - A shining light

If there’s one thing Wigan’s relegation couldn't be put down to it’s a lack of attacking prowess. Arouna Kone slotted in 11 goals during his first season in the Premier League, but that was still only enough to earn him third place in the team’s Player of the Year award. First and second were taken up by his suppliers in Shaun Maloney and Callum McManaman respectively, who played either side of the Ivorian as the season drew to a close. Wigan scored 45 goals this season - more than Sunderland, West Ham and Stoke - even managing two goals in their crucial games against Tottenham and Swansea. 

At the other end, Wigan slipped up far too many times to save themselves. Defensive errors marred their progress right until the end, as Arsenal waltzed into their opposing penalty area to put four past keeper Joel Robles in the game that effectively demoted the Latics to the second tier. While it would be harsh to put the blame solely on Martinez, it is his responsibility to organise the defence pre-match. This issue had dogged his side from the start of the 2012/13 campaign right up to the end – the goals against total standing at 71 after the Arsenal game, the highest in the league. Perhaps he could have tried playing someone other than Jordi Gomez – an attacking midfielder by trade – in front of the defence to provide extra cover. Towering centre-back Emerson Boyce played almost the entire season at right wing-back despite offering little in the way of pace, while winger Beausejour was forced into playing on the other side of defence. Trying the pair in their natural positions might have been a start. It’s all ifs, buts and maybes, but these points are more than worth pondering.

FA Cup - Against all odds?

Motivation was less of a problem for Martinez. Wigan retained their focus and fight in an FA Cup campaign

that eventually lasted seven games (including one replay), culminating in a 1-0 win against Manchester City at Wembley to give the club their first major trophy. Sure, the side could only beat what was in front of them, but while their famous FA Cup win will be the talk of this rugby town for years, only twice did they play teams above them in the league. A fantastic win for the club, but a true underdog story for the wider world of football it was not.

In the league they squandered countless chances to see out games and earn themselves a vital three points. Despite their lowly position throughout the season, stats show the Latics would have finished 16^th had they held onto their points from half time in matches, and would have managed 14^th when playing away. It’s not Champions League form, but nor is it the workings of a team dropping out of the division.  

One thing that Martinez cannot be criticised for is his activity in the transfer market. Kone, Maloney, McManaman and James McCarthy are all expected to command fees much higher than the amounts that brought them to the DW stadium thanks to their performances in the season just past. Martinez doesn't get them all right – Mauro Boselli (£6.5 million), Albert Crusat (£2 million) and Stam (£2 million) have been notable flops – but the man they call Bobby has earnt chairman Dave Whelan a fair bit of money over the years. Wigan meanwhile had one of the lowest wage budgets in the Premier League, so there’s little problem there. There is however one part where Martinez becomes unstuck. Wigan’s attacking front three has reportedly attracted much interest from other Premier League clubs, while McCarthy, McArthur, Figueroa are also expected to stay in the league. So if these players really are as good as other managers believe they are, how did they end up taking Wigan down? It’s Martinez’s responsibility to ensure that each part of his side works together in order to get results. So with all the Premier League talent on their side, how did the Latics only manage a paltry nine wins this season?

Whatever happens to the Wigan squad of this year, it’s likely that Martinez will be the biggest departure of them all. The Spaniard is currently the bookies’ favourite to take over from David Moyes at Everton, handing him the chance to manage a top level side with much more financial power, support and ambition than his beloved Latics. Whelan is adamant that he’ll make the step up, but Blues’ chairman Bill Kenwright should be careful before trusting a man who sold his way in and out of the grocery business. Much like he would for a toiletry on his old Blackburn market stall, there’s a sense that Whelan will get his man a good owner. Still, Roberto’s new employer might have to wait for a while until they really know what they've got for their money.      

Why footballers represent big bucks to the rental property market

The sight of an athletic, vaguely recognisable figure twirling the keys to their Bentley whilst being careful not to scuff their brand new trainers is now known as the ultimate godsend in the letting agent's bible.
Behind the designer shades in this case is a footballer and one that's willing to pay big to land the perfect rental property.

Sportsmen of this profession are extremely well paid and will move from city to city if and when their club tells them to. They're often not looking to purchase a house for the risk of having to abandon it just months later. Instead, they pay sizeable figures to put themselves up in affluent areas on a temporary basis. Only the best will suffice, but landlords that can offer such a luxury are in for a huge payday.

Footballers are humans and need a house to call home too - it's not exactly a revelation. So has the property market cashed in on the back of footballers for a while or is the increased exposure of this just a result of the game's rising profile? 

Nature of the modern profession
Simply put, footballers are worth more to the property market than they ever have been due to an increase in player movement.

Around 30 years ago, players would only get through a handful of moves throughout their career. Footballers would often start at their hometown side after being picked up by a scout and would only move for a huge fee. That was until Belgian Jean-Marc Bosman's judicial challenge of football transfer rules allowed players to freely switch to a club at the end of their contracts without a fee changing hands.

This led to an increase in transfers after the law's passing in 1995, with clubs and players forced to get used to going about business almost on a month-by-month basis. The Premier League achieved new heights commercially during this period and this allowed bankrolled clubs to fund more transfers - again, leading to increased player movement. Meanwhile loan deals, allowing an athlete to temporarily play for a club, became a much more acceptable way of acquisition.

So there's plenty of evidence to suggest that the 1990s saw more players moving around, with these superstars possibly seeing rental properties as a more viable option. 

Current situation

Bringing things up to speed, the January 2013 transfer window saw clubs from all four tiers of the English football pyramid spend a total of £120 million - double the outlay during the same period in 2012 and the fourth biggest amount since the window's introduction in 2003. A large number of transfers saw overseas players like Chris Samba (Russia to London) move to the UK, while a number of Premier League veterans also needed new homes after securing their transfers.

Meanwhile, cash-strapped Football League clubs saw plenty of value in the loan market. A total of 39 players moved between the Championship, League One and League Two on short-term deals during January 31 alone. Whether they're Premier League players moving down the pyramid in search of regular game time or League Two journeymen with just £1,500 per week to play with, their attachment to the clubs will end in four months tops - the season's end - which is why they'll have put themselves in a hotel before looking for a suitable house to rent.

Has this long been the case? Not exactly. Transfer fees are always rising in the Premier League, while loan moves are becoming increasingly popular for clubs that lack the finance to buy their new stars but need the talent to challenge for honours.

The end result is more players moving about and, to the benefit of the rental market, more players anticipating a move and choosing to live out of their Louis Vuitton suitcases.

Why not just buy?

Premier League footballers earn around £30,000 week, potentially rising to £200,000 and beyond if they're handy with the ball, so why wouldn't they just buy a property? Well, some do. Club legends like Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea) and Rio Ferdinand have been at their respective sides for well over ten years and it would take some offer for them to be taken elsewhere. They buy mansions and set up sticks somewhere quiet, usually outside of the city to get well away from it all.

For those who are yet to find the club they'd like to finish their career with, they can't afford to call one place home - not just yet. In fact, a study from Xpro, a charity for ex-players of the game, claims three out of five Premier League players are forced into bankruptcy after making bad investments and, on occasion, failing to pay back loans on properties.

It's less of a problem for players earning £80,000 and up. They can afford to buy their assets outright. But for those with an expensive taste on £10,000 and below in lower leagues like the Championship, League One and League Two, mortgages are still required. Their ability to pay off debt often rests on how well they manage their money - so in other words, having a reliable advisor to whisper in their ear.

Most don't take the chance of building up debt or having to shift a property once they leave a club, so they decide to rent instead. 

So there it is. The ever increasing number of player transfers and the development of an expensive taste can be owed to the rising value of footballers to the rental market. This hasn't been the case forever, but it's most certainly the case now. 

Tranmere's Bell-Baggie signs new deal

Abdulai Bell-Baggie will be at Tranmere Rovers until at least 2015 after agreeing a new contract with the club.

The winger joined Rovers on a free transfer last summer after impressing manager Ronnie Moore whilst on trial. He has since scored two goals in 25 games for the Superwhites in their current campaign.

Bell-Baggie, 20, started his career at Reading and counts Rotherham United, Crawley Town, Port Vale and Tranmere's League One rivals Yeovil Town among his former clubs.

He becomes the fifth player to sign up to a deal running until 2015 with Rovers after Cole Stockton Jake Kirby, Danny Holmes and Max Power all put pen to paper on deals earlier this year.

Rovers manager Moore commented: "Abs has done very well for us this season.

"He's an exciting player and one who is capable of winning matches for us.

"When he's on top of his game he's a nightmare for defenders and he's given quite a few full backs headaches this season.

"He's got a great attitude and has fitted in well with the rest of the squad and I'm delighted he'll be here for the next two seasons."

With his immediate future now finalised, Bell-Baggie will be looking to celebrate the news with a typically energetic performance against Oldham on Saturday.