Paper Talk: Breaking Down the Possible Wigan Candidates

Surprised, that was my feelings on Thursday when the news of Uwe Roslers sacking reached me. A simple text message read across my screen Rosler sacked. After publicly backing his manger following the horrific defeat to Bolton, Dave Whelan then preformed the biggest U-turn to tell Rosler to back his bags. It did seem almost inevitable though.

The club has been in a continual downward spiral since the back end of last season under Rosler, all the promises of a fitter team long gone and the reality now at our feet. That was a place in the bottom three. Bad luck or poor management? That maybe a question for another day, the statistics tell one story, the reality another.

Looking forward is always the best policy and forward means a visit from Middlesbrough on Saturday. Will we have a new manage by then? If we do, I would be more shocked than Rosler's sacking, the club have yet to formalise a list of possible candidates let alone interview anyone. This process may drag out.

But who are the people vying for the job?

Well believe the bookmakers and Malkay MacKay leads the way, after a public statement from the local MP and the up roar it could cause amongst the fans, who Dave Whelan move for the former Cardiff City manager? Well in purely footballing terms he would be a very good candidate, don't get me wrong there. However it is the controversy surrounding him which means we should probably stay away.

Steve Clarke, Tony Pulis, Chris Houghton, and Mike Phelan are the other main leaders in the running for manager. Phelan has been linked with the job before and I think it is safe to say that he will probably remain only linked to us. The other three though do look like viable options, personally I know who I would go for and that would be Tony Pulis. Our defence is a massive problem and Pulis brings a track record of sorting our defences. Clarke showed at West Bromwich Albion that he has the talent to be a very good manager, and should be someone we consider. Houghton comes with the track record of promotion to the Premier League, but once their has a record for struggling.

There is, as always, the usual suspects linked with the club Paul Jewell, Graeme Jones and just about any other former player not currently in a job. If Jonesey wanted the job at Wigan, then I think you could safely say Whelan would offer him the role, the question has to be does our former striker and Roberto Martinez's number two want it?

Or could we look inside the club ad promote from within? Gary Caldwell is the name being whispered about. The club captain and a man massively respected within side the club could be given the chance to take the reigns and show us what he has got. If nothing else he could get the players on side.

Only time will tell about a future manager, there are defiantly no front runners at the moment. It is going to be an anxious wait to see who will take the reigns now. There can be no more mistakes if we want back to the Premier League.