Wigan versus Arsenal: the Jewell in the Crown against the Frenchman with a Frown.
A couple of years ago, this would have been a ridiculous mismatch, champions against chumps. On Saturday in front of a record crowd at the JJB stadium, the Gunners must come to terms with the fact that their unfashionable northern visitors are five points ahead of them in the Premiership title chase and firmly tucked in behind Chelsea in second place.
Unbelievable. Ten years ago, Wigan Athletic FC were losing 6-2 to Mansfield Town in the old fourth division, the town’s rugby league side were the only stars in the vicinity.
The credit for all this of course, belongs to two men. Paul Jewell, a gutsy, intelligent manager who endured some rough times in a previous life in Yorkshire, and chairman Dave Whelan, the former Blackburn FA Cup finalist forced to give up football in his 20s after picking up a serious knee injury.
Whelan has provided the financial backing through his JJB Sports chain. He says: ‘It says to every team in the land, anything is possible, it can be done.”
Jewell has set up a workable system utilising players who, apart from former Southampton and Celtic rebel striker Henri Camara and former Liverpool centrehalf Stefan Henchoz, are largely unknown.
And, of course, the papers are full of tales of little Wigan, in their flat caps, with their whippets, bravely travelling down the M1 from ”up north”, adopted by most neutrals as favourite underdogs and by most big club fans as their second team this season.
Just don’t mention brave or gallant to Jewell, widely described as a typical Liverpudlian — a Scouse scally. He says: ”I’d like people to hate Wigan because we are winning things. I don’t want to be an underdog all my life. I don’t like being patronised. I don’t want people to say: ‘What a great little club Wigan is.”’
Jewell developed quietly as a peripheral player under the great managers at Liverpool, and learned his trade there. He says: ”I want to be as good as I can be. I should have done better as a player and now I want to be better as a manager.
”I’m not prepared to leave any stone unturned to be as good as I can be as a manager. I want to win a title.”
A title?! Yup, Jewell really does go that far. And after going so close in their opening game against Chelsea — they were beaten 1-0 by a late, late goal — Jewell honestly believes Arsenal are beatable.
He says: ”Look, we’ve got a chance. I said we’d surprise a few people but even I can’t believe we’re second. Id have been happy if we had 12 points by now, delighted to be 15th. But we’re here — we won’t sit back.
”Arsenal are human, people make mistakes, some of them might have an off-day. Mind you, that’s our only hope,” he says, with a return to typical northern caution.
Really? So far Wigan have managed to make a lot of expensive Premiership teams look human.
Jewell’s philosophy is: ”We must compete on preparation, organisation, fitness and desire. We can compete there. The best teams work the hardest.
”I’m not being negative but the goal is still survival. I’d settle for fourth bottom at the end of the season. Grudgingly. I hope there comes a point where that changes.
”We’ve got the smallest squad and the second-lowest wage bill in the Prem, but we pride ourselves on organisation and trying to be as professional as possible.”
If that sounds like a pre-match surrender, it is not. Arsenal can expect a tough passage at a sold-out JJB stadium tomorrow. Arsenal just have to hope they can travel back down the M1 from ”Oop North”‚ with their pride intact.
Wigan central defender Stephane Henchoz will have a special point to prove. The veteran is hoping to force his way back into contention for the Swiss national team, who qualified for the World Cup on Wednesday on away goals after an aggregate 4-4 draw with Turkey. His place has been taken by Arsenal’s rising star, Phillipe Senderos.
Trinidad and Tobago became the smallest country to qualify after overcoming Bahrain, while Australia, Spain and the Czech Republic complete the 32-team line-up for Germany next year.