January 27, (THEWILL) – Kolo Toure has been sacked by Wigan Athletic, after a disastrous 59-day reign as the team’s manager.
The ex-Arsenal and Manchester City defender had only agreed to a three-and-a-half-year contract with Wigan on November 29th, but his tenure was cut short after the team failed to win any of their nine games under his leadership. The Latics took just two points from Toure’s seven league matches, leaving them bottom of the table and four points away from safety.
Wigan’s poor performance also led to them being knocked out of the FA Cup by Luton Town after a replay, adding more pressure on Toure. This was the 41-year-old’s first managerial role, having previously worked as an assistant coach for the Ivory Coast national team, Celtic, and Leicester City.
The dismissal of Toure leaves Wigan looking for their fifth permanent manager in the last three years. Wigan chief executive Malachy Brannigan stated: “Unfortunately, the results on the field have not been as we would have liked and as tough a decision as this was, the board felt it necessary to give us the best possible chance of remaining a Championship club next season.
“We will now work swiftly and effectively to ensure the right person is appointed as the next permanent manager of Wigan Athletic, with the immediate objective of remaining in the second tier for next season.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
