After an underwhelming season, Wigan Athletic have sacked Shaun Maloney with the Latics lying 15th in League One. Speculation is rife over who will take over, with the club already looking to next season. Here’s four names we think they should consider.
The Former Manager – Leam Richardson
They say you should never go back to an ex-manager, but this may be a good decision for the Wigan hierarchy. Leam Richardson was in charge at the Brick Community Stadium from 2020 to 2022 and oversaw huge changes at the club. He took over permanently when they were in serious danger of dropping to League Two and kept them up against the odds before promotion the following season. They were going well in the Championship before a poor run saw Richardson harshly sacked just weeks after signing a new contract. Wigan have struggled since then with more ownership struggles, but finally find themselves with some stability which could help Richardson thrive. While he struggled in his last job at Rotherham, Richardson clearly has managerial talent and is highly thought of in Wigan, so a re-appointment would be popular.
The Big Name – Ryan Lowe
Ryan Lowe would be a huge coup. He’s a proven manager with a great track record of success, having done well at both Bury and Plymouth, laying the groundwork for the latter’s promotion from League One which would be appreciated at Wigan. As well as his League One success, he also did pretty well at Preston North End, though not spectacular. He established himself as a solid Championship manager before resigning having taken the club as far as he could, and may therefore be looking for a project. Wigan would provide this, with a fresh ownership and new found stability after years of chaos, so Lowe may have a chance of making a long-term success of the Latics and doing similar to Plymouth. This would likely be a popular choice, but may be a step too far at the moment.
The League Two Choice – Andy Woodman
This is an unlikely one, but Andy Woodman would be a great choice. He’s worked wonders at Bromley, having driven them up to mid-table League Two having been promoted, with many expecting them to go straight back down. Whether that would translate to, with respect, a bigger club in Wigan is hard to tell but Woodman is clearly a strong manager who has got the best out of his team at Bromley, doing a job which is bound to garner attention in the division above. Given his success, though, he likely won’t want to leave Bromley where he is loved and where he is doing such a good job. The grass isn’t always greener and he may struggle with the expectation at Wigan while Bromley may lose their spark without their manager. For Wigan, it’s a risk, though it may be a risk worth taking.
The Promotion Specialist – Paul Warne
Paul Warne is a well-known name in League One, having proven himself to be one of the division’s most successful managers in recent years. He certainly knows how to get out of the division, having had promotion success with Rotherham United and Derby County. This would be a shrewd move if Wigan want promotion but he may struggle beyond that, having been less successful in the Championship. As a former Wigan player he knows the club and is a reliable manager, so this would be a pretty safe, if unspectacular move.
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Writer’s View
This is a big appointment for Wigan and will signal their intentions for next season after Maloney’s sacking. While these would all be good appointments, one stands out. Paul Warne is an experienced League One name and pretty much guarantees success. Given that he is out of work, this is a realistic move and one Wigan would be daft to turn down.
