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Editors Blog: Five Reasons Why Roberto Martinez Shouldn’t Leave Wigan Athletic

With a decision imminent from Roberto about his future, I count down my top five reasons why he should stay at Wigan Athletic. Here he is a club legend, a loved man and a figure which has galvanized a town to supporting a team with a circular shaped ball.

Chris Brunskill

5. Europa League

Next season for the first time in this club’s plotted history; we will be taking part in the Europa League. The man who led us there, should be the man to lead us to European success next season. I do believe it could be success as our style of play could cause a few teams problems on the continent.

With Wigan going straight into the group stages, there is no need for prior qualification and we take a spot in the group stages of the competition. So far Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala are the only other team to make the cut.

4. The Philosophy

Roberto Martinez’s way is the only way. That is how Wigan plays and not just the first team, but every team in the youth system is no shifting to being comfortable on the ball and less concerned about physical attributes. It is a change that all football clubs in the country are trying to make and Wigan under Martinez have come on leap and bounds in the past few seasons.

In the past year he has managed to persuade Dave Whelan to open the purse strings and start to build a new training ground and youth facility. This is the true root of Martinez’s philosophy to build young talent and get them playing passing football. We are already starting to see the start of this.

3. Dave Whelan

Is there another chairman like Dave Whelan out there? Is there someone who understands Robetro like Whelan does? The answer to both is no. The ex-Blackburn player built this club from the bottom and Roberto was the start of the first phase of building this club, and now we are in the second phase.

We are at the higher level of the game, and now we need stability and between Martinez and Whelan, we have managed to massively reduce our wage bill, and start to build a much grander infrastructure at the club. Whatever Martinez wants to do, he always has Whelan’s full backing.

2. The History, The love

This isn’t just a football club, and much like departing current legend Paul Scharner, Roberto has never been more adored anywhere else. Here we gave him his first chance, here we guided him and kept him in our hearts even when he left the club.

The stage was set for his return, and we always felt that maybe he could be here for the long haul. That maybe this guy could be the man to bring us long term stability. We all wanted the Martinez to be the man and we still hope he is.

When he says that he loves this club, that is exactly what he means.

1. The Fans

Since the first day he stepped out to lead this side, the fans have backed Roberto Martinez. There have been testing times when this club legend has shown he can be stubborn and will stick to his plan. Yet the honesty and pure nature of the guy shines through. We knew the transaction to the side we are now would never be easy, yet Martinez has managed it.

Now with our first major trophy under our belts, our fans numbers on the rise, and with European football to come. The club wants the man, the legend that is Roberto to lead us on. The reaction to him at the parade in Wigan showed that.

Cheers of ‘Roberto Martinez’ and ‘Don’t Go Roberto’ signifies the general consensus among the Wiagn faithful. And together with Roberto at the helm we Believe!