The second coming

So here it is, the worst kept secret in football was revealed on Monday morning as Gary Caldwell returned to Wigan Athletic.

If anyone had any doubts about Caldwell’s return they only need to watch his two long form interviews with both the BBC and the official club website.

Caldwell was as impressive as one could imagine, a man clearly shaped by his experiences and a completely different manager from the one that was unfairly sacked just under a decade ago.

Both Wigan Athletic and Gary Caldwell have been through so much in that decade, so many experiences that will shape the coming months and all being well years.

Caldwell was extremely impressive in those interviews and his commitment to Wigan Athletic is clear for everyone to see.

In complete contrast to the last man whose commitment to himself was all anyone could see.

How can you possibly inspire your players to give their all for Wigan Athletic when you yourself won’t give your all for the club?

The make up of Caldwell’s backroom team has now been announced with Peter Atherton joining as Caldwell’s assistant (he’ll need to cleanse his soul after his lost job up the road in Horwich) David Perkins returning to the club alongside Graham Barrow.

If these four legends from every modern era of Wigan Athletic can turn around this season it will be a story for the ages. Caldwell has proven himself consistently in League One.

In his first spell in charge in 2015 and 2016 – that glorious title win in the sun in Blackpool followed one of the most enjoyable seasons for a long while and saw us return to the Championship.

Caldwell was unfairly sacked by Latics as the club were in a hurry to return to the Premier League. Warren Joyce his replacement took the club down to League One instantly in what I’m sure the club would now recognise as a mistake of epic proportions.

Caldwell was building a stable side in the Championship and was relieved of his role after only one defeat in his final five games against four sides that are now Premier League regulars. David Sharpe at the time described it ‘as the hardest decision’ he had had to make it.

Whether it was Sharpe or Whelan who made that decision it turned out to be the worst decision that could have been made.

Since then, Caldwell hasn’t been shy of getting his hands dirty and has had a wide variety of roles at all levels of the game. Working alongside Pep Guardiola as Manchester City’s development manager, U23s manager at his former club Newcaslte United.

An ill-fated spell at Chesterfield was followed by keeping Partick Thistle in the Scottish Championship before finally joining Exeter City three and a half years ago.

To say Exeter are disappointed to lose their manager would be an understatement. Caldwell has far exceeded his brief at Exeter and performed miracles on one of the smallest budgets in the football league.

Consistently finishing in mid table in League One is no mean feat for a club of Exeter’s size.

Especially when that club is fan owned.

Exeter posted an emotional video after Caldwell’s departure was announced, it’s the measure of the man how much he ingrained himself in Exeter and how much Exeter meant to him.

That’s the sort of connection we need, even more so after the last eleven months under our ‘reluctant’ head coach. Latics have a lot of work to rebuild the connections between team, club and supporters.

Winning football matches is only one part of that, but the Lowe experiment has damaged this club hugely – if Caldwell’s return (alongside Perkins, Atherton and Barrow) can help to rebuild those damaged connections between the club and supporters it’ll go down as an unexpected but hugely necessary managerial appointment.

Just over two and a half months of the season left, sixteen cup finals. One requirement.

Stay out of that bottom four and build for next season.

Come on Latics!

Sean Livesey

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