Uwe Rosler believes Wigan Athletic is the perfect club for him to achieve his dreams of Premiership management.
The former Manchester City striker was named as the Latics’third boss in six months after Roberto Martinez left to join Everton and Owen Coyle was sacked.
The seeming uncertainty at the club comes just six months after Martinez led them to FA Cup final success,Latics first ever major trophy.
“This is a perfect opportunity for me, the perfect club, one that wants to be successful,” said the German.
“I see Wigan Athletic as a dream club for me and I will work very hard to fulfil the club’s ambition – anything is possible.”
“I have ambitions to end up, as I did as a player, at the top of English football.”
“I will look to play 4-3-3.The players are familiar with the system from their past with Roberto.
“We have to attack, score goals. We have to unlock that potential.”
The 45-year-old, who played 152 games for City between 1994-98 scoring 64 goals, had led Brentford to fourth place in League One this season after starting his coaching career in Norway.
Rosler is well aware that following Martinez is a big job for any manager to take on.
“Roberto left big footprints for anyone to follow. I always want to follow my own style of football.
“I like to play on the ground, quick, play forward and commit bodies forward.
“I need energy and a willingness to attack and feel in some ways it’s similar to Roberto – and in other ways it’s not.”
Rosler watched from the stands as 14th-placed Latics sank nine points below the play-off places, with their fifth successive defeat in all competitions losing 2-1 away at Millwall.
The German has a big job on his hands and his first task will be to try and lead Wigan into the knockout stage of the Europa League, with victory needed at Maribor on Thursday to stand any chance of getting through.
A priority though for all Wigan fans and in particular for owner Dave Whelan, will surely be a swift return to the Premiership.
Wigan chairman Whelan met Rosler just once after Coyle’s departure.
He was so impressed with the former German international he did not hesitate to moved quickly to agree a compensation fee with Brentford to bring him to the DW Stadium.
“He impressed me so much with his determination, his grasp of the game,” Whelan said.
“Roberto played a certain way and was successful. We had enormous success by playing football on the ground – winning the FA Cup was an unbelievable thing for the club to do.
“We only have one ambition and that is to play in the Premier League. It might not happen this year or next year, but it will happen.”
Rosler is confident he has what it takes to lead his new side back into play-off contention.
“I’ve been at Brentford for two-and-a-half years, so I know about expectations and how to work under pressure,” he said. “I’ve been a manager for 10 years now.”
The former striker played for 11 different clubs including City and Southampton in a 16 year playing career.
His playing days ended at Norwegian club Lillestrom when he was diagnosed with lung cancer.
After he made a full recovery from his illness he returned to Lillestrom to manage them.
He followed that with spells at Viking and Molde before taking over at Brentford in 2011.
He lead the Bees to the play-off final last season when they were beaten 2-1 by Yeovil at Wembley.
Uwe Rosler’s career
Born: Altenberg, East Germany on 15 November, 1968
Played for: Lokomotiv Leipzig (87-88), Chemie Leipzig (88-89), FC Magdeburg (89-90), Dynamo Dresden (90-92), FC Nuremberg (92-94), Man City (94-98), Kaiserslautern (98-99), Tennis Borussia Berlin (99-00), Southampton (00-02), SpVgg Unterhaching (02), Lillestrom (02-03)
International caps: 5 (East Germany in 1990)
Managed: Lillestrom (04-06), Viking (06-09), Molde (10), Brentford (11-13), Wigan Athletic (13-present)
Image courtesy of Manchester City FC via YouTube, with thanks.
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