Betfair Official Blog

Premiership

A win against Wigan would be a gem of a result for Jewell

Click here to view market

Legendary non-league manager Frank Gregan is happy to give plenty of praise to the honourable Paul Jewell but beating former club Wigan is a whole different story

Timing is one of, if not the most valuable asset in sport. I'm not talking about the scrawny golfer who creams the ball 300 yards down the fairway or the boxer that looks about as fearsome as Julian Clary but is able to land a combination of punches that would put most of us off work for a fortnight. I'm talking about the timing of departure, knowing when to quit or move on.
The knack of being a popular football manager revolves around timing. When the crowd start singing 'you don't know what you're doing!' it's probably fair to say that you've outstayed your welcome with that football club. As a manager, you've then reached the dreaded catch 22 situation. Your club is probably struggling near the foot of the table, the fans want you out but your pride (and the option of leaving the club with no compensation) makes it impossible for you to quit. Supporters will continue to vent their anger in your direction, it is of course not personal even though some of the comments get under the skin, it just goes with the office.

You've tried everything you can to get out of the mess but the injuries continue to pile up and every poor refereeing decision seems to go against you. Your strikers perfectly executed volley comes back off the inside of the post, their winger's hopeful cross loops in at the far post.
Everybody needs somebody to blame for failure and the manager is always the focal point. You can have as many assistants and coaches and media relations personnel as you like but it is always going to be the manager who has his backside in the bacon slicer! Cue the traditional post match interview and the guaranteed comment 'I'm still manager of this football club and will continue to be so until someone tells me different.' That is managerspeak for 'Sack me please!'

The knack is to get out before that situation arises. Paul Jewel is a classic case in point. He left Wigan after he had given six years of superb service and having survived an energy sapping relegation battle. He left for all the right reasons citing that he had given everything for the club and that it was time for someone else to take over the reins and take the club forward. He was moving on for the greater good of the club. The other thing he did which will have endeared him to the Wigan supporters was that he waited before taking another job.

A respectful delay, a bit like the six months the wife and kids make you endure before you can replace the family Labrador that wandered in front of the neighbour's seventeen year old daughter on her second driving lesson. Or is that just our family?

Mr Jewel conducted himself superbly in exiting Wigan and joining Derby. He will be greeted by the traveling Wigan fans with genuine affection and will no doubt be back slapping with his former board of directors. There will be a lot of familiar faces in the Wigan team, players whom he gave debuts to and players that he paid money for because he believed in their ability. He will know the strengths and weaknesses of the team he left behind but I guarantee he will not be privy to the starting line up until team sheets are handed in and won't be sure of the formation he will face until kick off.

If it gets personal, I think the one question those who used to be close to him will be asking him is 'Why Derby?' Everyone will have a smile and a cheery wave for him. Sadly though, at 3 o'clock it will be back to the real world of professional football and to a man, everyone connected with Wigan Athletic will trying to spoil his weekend. I think he will discover that he jumped from the frying pan into the fire. The best I think Derby can hope for is a draw but my money will be on Wigan at [2.62].