Meeting with Uwe Rosler

[Les_bradds_lad]

On Wednesday there was a meeting with manager and Jonathon Jackson for forum editors I've nicked this from CL hope they don't mind

Jonathan gave a presentation with Q&A about the club's finnaces for the year ending May 21013. This confirmed what I think most of us, besides the naysayers, already know. It is all in the public domain, but he put it all in context. We are financially in a comparatively healthy position - £1 million profit, following £4 last year. But that follows large losses every year in the Premier League except the first. Those losses have been covered by the Chairman.

Debt rose to £70 million until the debt was restructured to equity which has reduced it now to a manageabele £20 million. Effectively £50 million debt has been written off. One needs not ask who has taken the hit on that.

Turnover was £56 million, up from £53 million the previous year. However £44 million was from the Premier League. Championship clubs only get £3 million from the Football League. P

[Les_bradds_lad]

And brief mention too of work that Latics do in the Community - going out into schools and community groups. The aim is that every kid's first contact with football is with someone wearing a Latics badge. We want every kid to have Latics as their number 1 team.

Then Uwe came in. Obviously the first question was about rotation.

He is very focussed, and driven, but (whether you care or not what I think) I really liked him. He knows what he wants. Through the discussions (and they were more like discussions, albeit led by specific questions) he laid out his style of play. And that is getting the ball quickly up front, getting chances on goal. He refused to be drawn into any criticism of his fellow professional, OC, but the hints were there as we could all see that fitness levels were not, and maybe still not, at the levels needed to play his style.

He wants players who are committed to his style and willing to put the effort in both in training and on the pitch. But it requires fitness

[Les_bradds_lad]

He believes the game is a team game, a squad game. He is willing to give every player a chance. He makes a good point that since he came we are clocking 1.9 points a game, and would be fourth,

He believes in developing players (like Borussia do) rather than buy in the finished article as some of our Championship rivals are doing. He thinks that the longer term future of the team will benefit, or financially we will be able to sell them on. It's not the aim to sell them, but the financial situation is such that that is one of our best hopes of maintaining our financial viability, and ultimately the existence of the club, is to develop players.

The aim is clearly promotion. Probably via the play-offs, but he feels that if we get to the play-offs then with our experience (particularly last year) he really fancies our chances. Not getting promoted this year would not be a disaster (according to JJ), but the aim is to get back there as quickly as possible - preferably this year.

As for S

[Les_bradds_lad]

He wasn't being critical - it's just that he has a different style.

He would not be drawn on a "best player". There are a lot that are committed.

As for injured players Shaun is still a few weeks off getting back to training on grass, but he hopes he will get some games this season.

Ramis is fit for football according to the specialist, and he now just needs to get up to required fitness levels and prove himself, particularly to other clubs! But he definitely has a future in football, and at Wigan.

Caldwell is somewhere between the two in fitness - he is training on grass, but a few weeks behind Ivan.

He rates Keenan highly, he has the right attitude, and is viewed as a CH, despite playing defensive midfield recently. One for the future - possibly out on loan for first team experience but only to a club where he'd get that regular experience, League One at the lowest.

He feels a bit sorry for Nicholls, but with Scott Carson and Ali on form he is facing an uphill struggle.

As for

[TheFlasher]

I listened to the meeting with Uwe. Great interview. Thanks to everyone for making it possible.

Does anyone know the of the German book Uwe mentions about different countries and their approach to football? He said there was a section on our style of play under Roberto in the chapter on England. Sounded interesting.