Quote Originally Posted by Heliosphan View Post
Inherited which players at Wigan? They finished 5th from bottom before the season they won the league so I'm not sure they had many decent players when LR became manager.

The only reason you take issue with his CV is because of what's happening at Rotherham United right now. And if that's your view then fair enough. But you can't just ignore the fact that he won the league. It still had to be won, regardless of budget. Ipswich, Sunderland, Portsmouth, Sheffield Wednesday, Bolton, Charlton were all in that league when Wigan won it. Did they have smaller or bigger budgets than Wigan? I don't know the answer but you don't simply go up because of budget. Look at how long some of those teams had (or have) been in L1.

Results and performances have been unacceptable of late but that's not all on LR, far from it.
This may change your mind.- Although Richardson remains well loved by so many fans for what he has done for the club the current situation is giving them much cause for concern. Many are asking why the manager was given a new three year contract with the standard of football played by his team being so poor. On Wednesday Latics were facing a Stoke team that had lost its previous three matches and was only just above the relegation zone. Playing with three centre backs and three holding midfielders was never likely to provide entertainment value for the home fans. When the team sheet was announced before the game the inference was that Richardson was playing not to lose, hoping for a goal from a set piece or bringing on his big target men in the latter stages with the scores tied.

Following a Stoke goal that was gifted to them by an inept Wigan rear guard the manager introduced both Charlie Wyke and Josh Magennis for the last 20 minutes. The football produced during that time ranked among the worst I have seen from Latics over decades of following them. It was totally depressing.

The praise that Richardson has received from Latics fans in the past has been very much merited. He is still held in high regard on a personal level, but there have always been flaws in his tactical approach. Having a squad that was superior to most in League 1 meant that the cracks were papered over. However, they are fully exposed in a Championship division against superior players and managers with more tactical nous.