Whelan, Koumas and Hutch ahead of season opener

Last updated : 10 August 2007 By Paul Farrington
At 27, Jason Koumas was desperate for a move back into the Premiership. He had spent the past twelve months with West Brom trying to earn them promotion back into the top flight.

Jason Koumas: Glad to be home
During the summer Koumas was a target for a number of clubs, including this weekend's opponents Everton. However Koumas, who was born in Wrexham, is delighted to "be back home" in the Premiership.

The £5.3 million addition told the Manchester Evening News: "I've heard people question my work rate and that has annoyed me because I'm a better player than when I was last playing Premiership football and I have been waiting for a couple of seasons to get back to this level.

"I now plan to make the most of it and, at my age and this stage of my career I need to be playing in the Premier League. The manager said that he is determined to make me an even better player and that is the kind of thing you want to hear.

"Wigan made it quite clear they wanted me and it was important for me to be back competing against the best players and the best teams. This is what you want to do and I'm at a club now where I am happy and back in the north west. It's been the perfect move for me.

"It has been a struggle for me to get back in to the Premiership but I knew where I wanted to go and it was important for me to get back home. This is something I've wanted for a while.

"The manager outlined his intentions and said that we would be stronger than last year and that we would have a better season. The main aim is to make sure we aren't in the trouble we were in last year. The squad certainly looks strong and I've settled in."

Whilst the manager himself was speaking with a freshness and reknewed opitimism after takign over the hot seat from Paul Jewell. Chris Hutchnigs has already targetted a top ten finish for the season and believes there is little to choose from between most of the league.

Hutch, as his new nickname goes, commented: "I am always confident and ambitious. It helps when you have a chairman (Dave Whelan) who backs you all the way.

"Nearly all the players I have gone for I have been lucky enough to get and we are probably stronger than we were last season. Certainly we do want a repeat of that campaign. We are better than that.

Dave Whelan: Full Support
"We would rather have a scenario like our first year in the top flight where we reached the League Cup final and finished in the top 10. We have the squad to do that, players are now looking more favourably on Wigan than they once did.

"We want to share our ambition with them and I am convinced we will have a good season. Outside the top four there is not much to choose between the teams."

Speaking once again to try and quash the persistent and disrespectful comments that the club are nothing but relegation fodder, the new boss spoke of his summer acquisition Mario Melchiot.

The Dutch international defender could have chosen from a whole host of clubs this summer after leaving French side Rennes.

However the one time Chelsea defender decided a move to Wigan was for him, and in the process turned down clubs of Lazio and Roma's stature to line up at the JJB.

Hutchings continued: "Mario could have gone to a Champions League side, He has not come here just to survive."

Meantime, never one to shy away from comment, Chairman Dave Whelan has renewed his column in the Manchester Evening News. You can read the full article here, but in particular, it was reassuring for all supporters to see that the new manager will be given Mr Whelan's 100% support.

He wrote: "I'm looking forward to what should be a very interesting campaign. I have total confidence and faith in Chris carrying on Wigan's success. He is a brilliant organiser who is excellent tactically and extremely astute.

I've watched him on the training ground and been very impressed with his methods and the way that he expresses himself. He is a good man, looks happy and is ambitious."

Ahead of the new campaign it is always important to have everyone pulling in the same direction and the voices from the club have been very positive, despite the recent loss of defender Leighton Baines.

With possibly more additions before the transfer window closes and an already positive looking squad the supporters are optimistic. All we await now is three o'clock and a blow of the referee's whistle. After weeks of waiting, football is back.