Why QPR and Swansea need a lesson in survival from Martinez

By Steve Stammers

Published 09:00 17/08/11

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Presumably, Neil Warnock and Brendan Rodgers have the mobile number of Roberto Martinez. They might be as well to put it on speed dial.

Martinez, you see, has mastered the art of survival with Wigan. How he keeps the football club in a town with a Rugby League heritage in the Premier League beggars belief.

Somehow he does it. He has an eye for a player at at a bargain price - Wilson Palacios and Antonio Valenica spring to mind. He sells them on an re-invests for a public who rarely fill the DW Stadium.

Yet the football is attractive and easy on the eye. And he has cracked the secret of reacting to a defeat. Which brings me on to Warnock and Rodgers. They have something in common with Martinez. Last season, Wigan lost at home on the opening day 4-0 to Blackpool. The death rattle for Wigan's Premier League survival chances could be heard around the North West and beyond.

What happened ? Wigan stayed up and Blackpool went down. Over to Warnock and Rodgers. Queen's Park Rangers were taken apart 4-0 at Loftus Road by Bolton - a decent enough outfit but not one you would mark down as capable of thrashing anybody 4-0. Warnock - when he was not blaming the referee for his failure to book Kevin Davies - was honest enough to admit that Rangers were short and they had to learn.

Rodgers was in charge of the Swansea team dismantled by mega-bucks Manchester City. It was, co-incidentally. 4-0 to complete the symmetry although in truth the scoreline could have been anything City wanted it to be.

"We will learn," said Warnock. "It is no good committing suicide over it." Agreed. Far better that he gives Martinez a a ring and pick his brains on how to respond to a heavy setback. Rodgers has the benefit of a head-to-head with Martinez this Saturday when Swansea take on Wigan.

For a select few, the Premier League is about a top-four finish and the Champions League riches that go with it. For a cluster of others, it is the dubious prospect of Europa League football. For the rest it is a matter of survival, pure and simple.

Somehow Martinez has cracked it. Lose - and lose heavily - one week but win the next. And he has done it on a budget which no greater than the ones under which Warnock and Rodgers operate.

The fans of QPR and Swansea may take some convincing but it is not the end of the world to be beaten 4-0 in the opening game of the season.  It is how you respond that is important which is why the results at Goodison Park, where Rangers play Everton, and Swansea's Liberty Stadium will be watched with interest this weekend.

Martinez, without question, is the role model for the unfashionable. Every year his Wigan team are tipped for relegation. Every year they survive. Warnock and Rodgers take note.

**

The official teamsheet at QPR on Saturday did DJ Campbell no favours.

DJ has a street-cred ring about it. Dudley - worthy name that it is - does not have the same charismatic ring. But that's how he was listed.

Blame the team sheet, DJ, not the media.

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