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Coping with derby pressures became second nature to Neil Lennon in his last job – so tomorrow night’s all-Lancashire clash will be a nice change of pace.
While the game, jokingly referred locally as T’Classico, may lack some of the historical significance of an Old Firm encounter, it is no less important to folk in this neck of the woods.
One glance at the Championship table tells you just how much a victory could mean to either struggling side too.
As Celtic boss, Lennon had the better of meetings with Rangers, winning six and drawing two of the 12 times he faced his bitter rivals.
Getting off to a good start in this derby would almost guarantee his side are out of the relegation zone going into the international break, a huge psychological boost for players and fans alike.
Uwe Rosler’s Wigan have also been well below par this season and have won just once in their last 11 games.
But Lennon admits his first job will be to make sure Wanderers keep their focus after such an exhilarating win over Cardiff City on Tuesday night.
“It’s always difficult picking them up again after the emotion of a game like that, so the recovery is vital,” he told The Bolton News.
“Wigan are a good side and they have some very handy players. I watched them against Fulham and I felt they deserved to win that game (they drew 3-3).
“It’s a local derby so there will be a lot riding on the game. Both teams find ourselves down there for whatever reason.
“All I’m looking for is the level of performance that we got against Cardiff because it’s going to take some team to beat us when we’re playing like that.”
Preventing expectation levels from rising too high might also be a task facing Lennon, who admits he is still searching for his best squad and formation barely a month into the job.
Normally the prospect of a local derby is enough to whet the appetite regardless of league position but it is hard to imagine a set of players or fans more pumped up than the ones that left the Macron Stadium on Tuesday night.
With a large contingent of Wigan fans making the eight-mile trip between the towns a raucous atmosphere is expected.
It might not be the 60,000-plus packed out Parkhead Lennon had become accustomed to north of the border but the manager is still urging his side to keep their nerve and produce the level of performance they showed in midweek.
“I think this one might be a little bit tamer than the ones I’ve been used to,” he said with a smile. “But it means everything to the people in the area.
“It’s all about the standard of performance again, I hope we don’t take a step back.
“The players are buoyant but we can’t get too carried away. We’re still second from bottom because results haven’t really gone for us.
“We are there or thereabouts now, which is good. We’re winning games, not drawing them and that might be the way forward. I’d like us to maintain our focus.
“Of course we’re delighted with the result against Cardiff but you have to temper it a little bit with the fact we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”
This will be the 43rd meeting between Wanderers and Wigan, the first of which was played just 31 years ago in the old Division Three. The Latics hold a marginal advantage with 16 wins to 15.
Source
While the game, jokingly referred locally as T’Classico, may lack some of the historical significance of an Old Firm encounter, it is no less important to folk in this neck of the woods.
One glance at the Championship table tells you just how much a victory could mean to either struggling side too.
As Celtic boss, Lennon had the better of meetings with Rangers, winning six and drawing two of the 12 times he faced his bitter rivals.
Getting off to a good start in this derby would almost guarantee his side are out of the relegation zone going into the international break, a huge psychological boost for players and fans alike.
Uwe Rosler’s Wigan have also been well below par this season and have won just once in their last 11 games.
But Lennon admits his first job will be to make sure Wanderers keep their focus after such an exhilarating win over Cardiff City on Tuesday night.
“It’s always difficult picking them up again after the emotion of a game like that, so the recovery is vital,” he told The Bolton News.
“Wigan are a good side and they have some very handy players. I watched them against Fulham and I felt they deserved to win that game (they drew 3-3).
“It’s a local derby so there will be a lot riding on the game. Both teams find ourselves down there for whatever reason.
“All I’m looking for is the level of performance that we got against Cardiff because it’s going to take some team to beat us when we’re playing like that.”
Preventing expectation levels from rising too high might also be a task facing Lennon, who admits he is still searching for his best squad and formation barely a month into the job.
Normally the prospect of a local derby is enough to whet the appetite regardless of league position but it is hard to imagine a set of players or fans more pumped up than the ones that left the Macron Stadium on Tuesday night.
With a large contingent of Wigan fans making the eight-mile trip between the towns a raucous atmosphere is expected.
It might not be the 60,000-plus packed out Parkhead Lennon had become accustomed to north of the border but the manager is still urging his side to keep their nerve and produce the level of performance they showed in midweek.
“I think this one might be a little bit tamer than the ones I’ve been used to,” he said with a smile. “But it means everything to the people in the area.
“It’s all about the standard of performance again, I hope we don’t take a step back.
“The players are buoyant but we can’t get too carried away. We’re still second from bottom because results haven’t really gone for us.
“We are there or thereabouts now, which is good. We’re winning games, not drawing them and that might be the way forward. I’d like us to maintain our focus.
“Of course we’re delighted with the result against Cardiff but you have to temper it a little bit with the fact we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”
This will be the 43rd meeting between Wanderers and Wigan, the first of which was played just 31 years ago in the old Division Three. The Latics hold a marginal advantage with 16 wins to 15.
Source
