Kirkland Signals a Step Forward
Posted by liam_wafc in Premiership, Transfers, Wigan | 5 June 2006
Wigan's summer seems to be following the same pattern as the previous. Instead of signings being made we have seen first team players leave who we expected to stay with us, Bullard and Roberts (who wants to leave) this season and Jarrett, Breckin and later on Ellington last summer.
And although Latics signed nine players in total last summer despite the slow start, fans were again becoming dissillusioned with the lack of early signings being made. Thankfully, the wait for our first signing this summer has been somewhat shorter than it was back in 2006, and following that same pattern, our first signing is a goalkeeper.
Mike Pollitt became our first signing last year, signing from Rotheram for £100,000. He turned out to be a steal despite the early abuse us Wigan fans got because of our first signing being from a relegated Chapionship club. Now, a year on, Wigan have confirmed that a one-year loan deal for Liverpool 'keeper Chris Kirlkand has been completed. And we can all agree that this years first signing is more ambitious and well known than the prior.
The fact that a player who one year ago rejected our advances because of our status as relegation favourites has now agreed to sign for us, proves that despite what people may say, our succesful first season has made us a more attractive proposition to players.
We have now gone from signing lower league players, to signing internationals, a big improvement.
Yes, like last season when we failed to sign Parker and Owen, we have failed to sign Johnson and Huth (thankfully!), but our first signing has shown progress.
Chris Kirkland, despite an injury plagued past, shows that Wigan can now attract a higher calibre of player, internationals, who in previos seasons would never have spoke to us, never mind decide that their future lies with us.
Heres hoping our future signings show a marked improvement in terms of quality, compared to what we signed one year ago.