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Whelan tips new boss for the top
Wigan Athletic, 12:04, June 7, 2009 ,
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan says Roberto Martinez should be named the club's new manager by Wednesday and has tipped him for greatness.
A compensation deal has been agreed between Latics and Swansea and the highly-regarded Spaniard will now almost certainly take over as manager at the JJB Stadium, replacing Steve Bruce who left to join Sunderland last week.
Martinez, who spent six years as a player with Wigan, had also been linked with the Celtic job but he has agreed a three-year deal with Wigan and will be confirmed as their new boss in midweek when Whelan returns from Majorca.
"Everything is virtually agreed and the only reason it's not been signed up is because I'm in Majorca," Whelan said.
"I'm due back on Wednesday and the deal will be completed on Wednesday afternoon, and we'll have a press conference on Thursday.
"It's 99 per cent certain that Roberto Martinez will be our new manager. Everything is in place and the contract will be a three-year deal."
Whelan believes Martinez is the perfect man for the job and believes he has secured the services of one of the best young managers in the country.
He added on Sky Sports: "I'm hoping that Roberto stays with us for quite a long time. I was really sad to lose Steve Bruce, who was a great manager for Wigan Athletic, but Roberto was one of my 'three amigos' and he is a wonderful man and knows football inside out.
"There is no reason why he cannot come into Wigan and be a top quality manager in the Premier League. If I'm being very honest, I predict Roberto will go on to be one of the top four or six managers within four or five years."
Punters who feel Martinez can build on the work done by Bruce can use their free bet to tip the Latics for a Premier League top six finish as opposed to a fight for survival.