Opinion: Season has kick started

Last updated : 12 September 2014 By Paul Farrington

 

Firstly there was the excellent news on the planning of the training ground and academy which will mean the club can develop a significant level of infrastructure.

 

Time moves very quickly in professional sport and the Latics have grown over the past decade of success. The days of training on the dodgy red astro-turf behind Springfield Park are long gone and whilst these memories will have a sincere place in the hearts of many supporters it is pleasing to see the quality of the facilities that are planned for the club.

 

To be able to offer the best young talent in the region the opportunity to develop at a fully fledged academy will mean we are able to increase our chances of finding and developing the next Leighton Baines, Lee Nicholls, or Callum McManaman. The latter of that trio in particular is proving to be the key to our on the field performance this season. If the club can regularly turn out two or three players of McManaman’s quality a season then the academy will have paid for itself in no time.

 

We are never going to be able to throw the £150m around that Manchester United have dished out this window and for us to be able to bring through our own quality youngsters, and offer them a strong route to first team football, is a way that our club can continue to punch above its weight and look to remain in the upper echilons of the league pyramid.

 

Secondly there was the closing of the transfer window and the excellent business that Uwe Rosler was able to pull off. It was disappointing to see McArthur leave, but certainly understandable that the lure of the Premiership has tempted him away.

 

The additions though were quite eye catching. Adam Forshaw, Andy Delort, and Emyr Huws are all young players who can build a solid bedrock of the club for the future years, whilst William Kvist will add the experience alongside Cowie in the middle of the park that McArthur’s departure has left.

 

All the business we conducted was done in line with the transfer budget and wage structure of the club which was pleasing to see. Players such as Forshaw and Huws will also qualify as home grown players for the impending rule changes that are being proposed in this area.

 

Thirdly there was the 4-0 home thumping of Birmingham City. The performance was dominant and the result never in doubt. On the field it was the perfect fillip to kick start our season after a stuttering start.

 

Optimism is high and following a good international break, the new players will have had the chance to settle in. A trip to Ewood Park to face Blackburn is never easy but a good result here really would see the promotion bandwagon pull out of the service station car park.

 

The season is still in its infancy but looking back just one year and it is clear to see that we are in a much stronger position this September than last.