Martinez heads down memory lane

Posted Saturday, December 31, 2011 by PA

Wigan will make a New Year's Eve trip back to the stadium where they won their very own title last season, according to manager Roberto Martinez.

The trip to the Britannia Stadium to face Stoke will be the Latics' first since Hugo Rodallega's late goal earned a 1-0 win on the final day of the campaign to keep the club in the Barclays Premier League.

Wigan had been in the bottom three for much of the latter half of the season before clawing their way out, and another win this time around could set them on their way to achieving the same outcome.

Martinez said: "For us it's a great moment to look back at what we achieved last season at the Britannia Stadium. In many ways we won our title and it will be great for our fans and everyone connected to our club to have the chance to relive those memories."

The Spaniard is under no illusions, though, about what a tough task it will be to engineer a repeat against a side who sit comfortably in the top 10 despite the challenges of a first season of Europa League football.

Wigan, meanwhile, go into the game on the back of a 5-0 defeat against Manchester United, ending a run of eight points from five games, including clashes with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Martinez is a big fan of the job his opposite number Tony Pulis has done in the Potteries.

He said: "Full credit to Stoke. They're getting stronger and stronger, they're having real good success, they're getting financially more powerful and we all know they can score from nothing.

"They are the kings of the dead ball, but on top of that they're very well organised, they defend really well and they've got real quality going forward.

"They've got a real unity with their fans, they create a great atmosphere and when you go to the Britannia Stadium you know you have to be perfect.

"Looking at Stoke as a football club, from their training facilities and the manner they set strong foundations to their progression in the league.

"They've been consistently strong at home, they found a winning formula for themselves in the way they play and then to bring European success to the Britannia Stadium is a fantastic example for any other football club."

Martinez received a boost on Thursday when Conor Sammon's red card at Old Trafford was rescinded, meaning he will not have to serve a three-match ban and will be available at the Britannia Stadium.

Stoke boss Pulis will assess the condition of Peter Crouch (illness) and midfielder Glenn Whelan (calf), while there will also be a fitness test for Robert Huth (knock). Ricardo Fuller (ankle) is expected to be available.

Stoke winger Matthew Etherington admits it will probably not be until he has retired that he is able to fully contemplate what the Staffordshire club have achieved in 2011 - and is focusing for now on trying to build on that success.

Pulis' side are currently eighth in the Premier League and through to the last 32 of the Europa League - a competition they qualified for via their FA Cup final appearance in May.

The manager has stressed that reflections upon those efforts should be left for another time, something echoed by Etherington, who is keen to "keep pushing on" in 2012.

"You probably don't take it all in - what has been achieved in 2011 - when you are still playing to be honest," Etherington told Stoke City Player.

"Only a couple of weeks ago, we had a little bit of a blip in form and we were all down in the dumps.

"But when you take a step back into reality and have a look at the football club today and then compare it to where it was a couple of years ago it's a phenomenal turnaround.

"Not in our wildest dreams could we have envisaged being in the position we are in today, but that is all credit to everyone connected to the club because we have all played a part.

"When I say that I mean the chairman, the manager, the players and, of course, the supporters."

He added: "I'm loving life here at Stoke; things couldn't really be going any better for us.

"It's important not to stand still and look at what we have achieved though because we want to keep pushing on.

"The time to reflect on our achievements will come when we retire."

Etherington added: "We want to keep this fantastic run going, and people may say that bettering this year won't be possible, but you ask any of the lads in the dressing room and they will tell you different."