Latics owner Simon Corney has admitted that even the most famous manager in world football could not save Athletic on his own this season. The Latic’s chairman says if the players don’t throw everything into the final 11 games, it wouldn’t matter who was in charge, the only way is down.
He was quoted as saying,“If the players want it enough, we will be fine. If not, there is nothing Tony Philliskirk, Jose Mourinho or any other manager can do about it. This year, our budget is up on what it was the previous two seasons. We have always gone out to get good players and my job is to get the best deal we can. This bunch is obviously good enough.”
He also confessed, "Oldham’s playing budget is higher than those of Yeovil, Walsall and Tranmere. If this team can’t do it, I’ll give up. On paper, we should be top-four rather than bottom-four.”
The fans disagree, and are disappointed that the owner could come out and give this statement when the club is in such dire straights. This is the fourth such outburst this season! The players are giving their all under the tutelage of Tony Philliskirk, and Corney's statement undermines the progress that the interim manager has achieved. Bad luck has been a contributing factor to their demise but the players are determined to continue the fight. The fans feel that such derisory comments do not fire up the players but merely fire negativity.