Should Wigan Athletic acquire two great signings before August is out then the 2013 FA Cup winners will be nicely placed to seal promotion to the top flight, says manager Uwe Rosler.
Wigan kick off their championship season against former Premier League opponents Reading, as Rosler hopes to banish the gloom after May’s play-off heartache.
Reading, managed by ex-Latics keeper Nigel Adkins, are also promotion candidates and will provide Wigan with a real test at the DW Stadium on Saturday even if they haven’t won their for 11 years.
“I think we are ready. I feel personally prepared, the players are prepared,” Rosler told the BBC.
“I’m looking forward to when our squad is completed because then we are in a very strong position.”
However Wigan did the double over the Berkshire side last season, triumphing at the Madejeski Stadium with a 2-1 score line with goals from Chris McCann and Nick Powell while at the DW they downed the Royals in a 3-0 trouncing,
Former Manchester City forward Rosler has been busy all summer in the transfer market , most recently with the loan signing of City’s Welsh starlet Emyr Huws, impressive while on loan at Birmingham City last season.
The 20-year old midfielder joins a raft of new boys set to make their bows at the DW which includes Don Cowie and Aaron Taylor-Sinclair, James Tavernier, Andrew Taylor, Martyn Waghorn and Spaniard Oriel Riera.
Defender James Perch, a new addition himself in 2013/14, expressed how well the six new signings have settled in and has praised their contribution to the morale in dressing room ahead of a crucial campaign.
“The new lads have been away with us to Germany and I think it’s important to get away and build a team spirit,” the 28-year-old told the club website.
“The banter has been throwing around the dressing room and we are all looking forwards to tackling what the season brings.
“It’s going to be a tough season as it always is in the Championship but there is nothing more exciting than testing yourself and trying to get promoted like we all want.”
A refreshing fact for the new campaign for Rosler will be that his squad won’t be over-stretched by a similarly gruelling 62-game schedule, which included another FA Cup run and participation in the Europa League last term by making his objectives for automatic promotion a realistic possibility.
Wigan will look to be promoted back to the Premier League, which they reached for the first time in 2005, at the second time of asking after their play-off semi -final defeat to QPR.
While Wigan can be optimistic, Reading will be a stern early examination of their promotion credentials.
Adkins has strengthened the Royal’s firepower with the signings of Jamie Mackie and Simon Cox, adding to the known threat from Russian Pavel Pogrebnyak.
Even after the departure of hitman Adam Le Fondre, Reading certainly have enough quality upfront to severely test the Latics’ backline and keeper Scott Carson.
After Saturday, the Latics will head to the Capital Cup to face Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night.
Main image courtesy of Latics Official via YouTube, with thanks.
