Mellon 'excited' by Latics challenge

New Latics boss Micky Mellon is clearly excited ahead of his latest big challenge in football management.

Paisley-born Mellon, now 51, was appointed into the Latics hot seat on Friday in a real coup for the Boundary Park outfit.

Mellon is an experienced manager, and has a number of previous promotions on his cv, most notably two in consecutive seasons during his first spell in charge at Tranmere.

Now, though, it's about firing Latics back into the EFL after they became the first former Premier League to drop into non-league 18 months ago.

The new Latics regime under the Rothwell family and the clear aspirations for the future appear to have played a big part in Mellon's decision to come to Boundary Park.

"Oldham is a club that is trying to move forward," said Mellon yesterday (Monday).

"You just have to have a look around the place - everything is about making this club better and improving the environment.

"Because of that it's a great place for me to come, and it's an exciting job.

"I think me and Oldham have met at the right time.

"I've been able to take seven months out, to get around and learn, and even see what everybody else is doing.

"I've never had a break from football since I was 16, so it was good for me to go away and think about what to do if the right opportunity came along.

"I've been fortunate that I have been able to wait for this opportunity, and when I got to speak to Oldham I was delighted.

"Everybody in football knows what's happening at Oldham at the minute, so when I did speak to them, everything I thought was confirmed.

"That's why I'm looking so much towards the future now."

Ex-Tranmere, Dundee United, Shrewsbury, Barnsley and Fleetwood boss Mellon, whose first game in charge of Latics will be the tasty local derby at Rochdale on Saturday, is relishing the continuing rebuilding job.

The Scot added: "Of course there's going to be expectations now, and we know where we want to try and get to, but we have to understand that it will take time.

"That's not me trying to buy time or anything, it's just the facts.

"The facts are that we are rebuilding something following a tough time.

"David Unsworth started that turnaround, Steve Thompson was then here, but it's up to me to try and carry that on now and keep the momentum moving forward.

"We know exactly where we want to get to, but it's important we concentrate on the now in these types of jobs, because you can get caught up in trying to get there too quickly.

"Right now it's about getting a team out on the pitch who'll perform how the Oldham fans want them to, and winning game, now.

"That will then build up the momentum, and we'll start winning games."

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