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Post by Avinalaff on May 13, 2013 2:56:36 GMT
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan says Roberto Martinez would reject Everton.
Dave Whelan, the Wigan Athletic owner, has told Everton that they are not a sufficiently big club to prise away his FA Cup-winning manager, Roberto Martínez.
Martínez was already among the leading candidates to replace David Moyes at Everton before Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City at Wembley but his reputation has been further elevated after he led Wigan to the first major trophy in their history.
Whelan has backed Martínez through a succession of relegation battles and is adamant that he should lose his manager only to a club with more potential than Everton.
“Roberto’s always in demand,” Whelan said. “Whenever he wants to go I’ll release him immediately but he’ll only go to a big, big club and I don’t think Everton are big enough.
“It’s Roberto’s decision. All I do is support him. He’s the most honest man you’ll ever meet. If anybody approaches him, he comes to me and says. I trust him implicitly.
“I don’t think he’ll go this season but if he does I’ll shake his hand and wish him good luck because he’s been a brilliant manager for us and I hope he continues for another four or five years.”
Saturday’s victory also had huge personal significance for Whelan. He had not been back on the Wembley pitch since 1960, when he broke his leg while playing for Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup final.
Accompanied by his grandson James, Whelan led Wigan out and admitted that his mind instantly raced back 53 years to the old stadium.
“I didn’t think I would get emotional but I did,” he said. “It was the first time I had been back on that turf since I was carried off. It floods through your memory.
It wasn’t far from where I was actually lying when I got hurt.”
Whelan then revealed that he had a premonition of Saturday’s victory before Wigan’s quarter-final win against Everton.
“I dreamt that we would get Manchester City in the final and beat them 1-0,” he said. “I kept thinking, ‘we are going to score’, and bang, one went in, and the dream has come true. I thought we played them off the park.
The dream for a football club like Wigan to come from the Lancashire Combination only 24 years ago is remarkable.”
Whelan wore a badge on Saturday given to him by Lord Peter Smith, the leader of Wigan Council, which simply had the word “believe” on it. Whelan is now similarly optimistic about the fight to remain in the Premier League.
The Wigan squad returned home immediately after Saturday’s victory without the players touching a drop of alcohol and they reported for training yesterday at 5pm.
There will be an open-top bus parade around the streets of Wigan but not before the league season ends on Sunday.
Wigan need to beat Arsenal tomorrow and Aston Villa on Sunday to be sure of staying up.
“We know what we have got to do – the players are well aware of it and up for it big style,” Whelan said.
Premier League participation will make an annual difference to Wigan of about £40 million. Whelan admitted that he would trade even this magical FA Cup triumph for three points at the Emirates tomorrow.
“I’ve got to say yes because it’s so vital we stay in the Premier League,” he said.
Paul Scharner, who became the first Austrian to win the FA Cup, revealed that he had a special bonus in his contract.
“When I came back to the club on loan in January it was in my mind that the club might do something special in the Cup,” he said. “It is quite a big bonus and it meant taking less money for my basic salary. I can only describe it by my actions. I cried for five minutes on the field.”
Scharner said the Cup has provided relief from the relegation battle. “It’s like going on holiday – just get rid of the negative pressure from the relegation fight and enjoy the football.
We enjoyed the day. I’m so pleased for the fans, the club, the town, the chairman. It would be an emotional explosion if we stayed up.”
Source: Telegraph
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