Gary Caldwell wants to be part of another great escape at Wigan and has refused to write off their dwindling Sky Bet Championship survival chances.
The 32-year-old Scot takes charge of Latics for the first time on Friday night, at fellow strugglers Fulham, hoping to claw back some of the eight-point deficit between themselves and safety.
With just five games remaining, even victory may not be enough to prevent Wigan from falling into the third tier, but Caldwell does not need to look far for inspiration that the improbable can be achieved.
Latics made a habit of staying up against the odds during the defender's playing days and Caldwell hopes to emulate their 2012 run-in which saw them defeat Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal to beat the drop.
"Having played here in the great survivals of the Premier League era, I believe that nothing's impossible," he said at his unveiling as Malky Mackay's successor on Wednesday.
"There were times when we were down and out. I think of the run we went on when we beat Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal - they are things that at the time seemed like miracles. It can happen and we still believe it can."
Caldwell was appointed to his first managerial post less than 24 hours after Mackay's reign was brought to an end on Monday following the loss to Derby.
The new boss has the security of knowing he will be in charge next August, regardless of what division Wigan are playing in, but he is keen on producing an immediate impact at a club who took just 19 points from a possible 72 under Mackay.
"You want to have an effect straight away and put your own stamp, belief and character on the football club," added Caldwell.
"I'll try and do that from day one. How quick that takes, only time will tell.
"I want to set a positive tone and get the belief back into the players and start winning games as quick as possible."
Relegation rather than promotion may be the concern for Wigan and Fulham, but leaders Bournemouth will get a head start on the league's other high-fliers if they beat Brighton on Friday.
Eddie Howe's Cherries have a slender one-point advantage and their manager is hopeful his players can avoid another nervy start after falling 2-0 behind against Birmingham last time out.
Bournemouth came back to win 4-2, and Howe told a press conference: "I'd be very surprised if there weren't nerves in any team at the top of the Championship at the moment.
"Because of the season and how it's been - the constant turnaround of the leader, what's at stake at the end, the fact there's so few games to go and the fact it's so tight at the top.
"It's how we handle that because there's going to be plenty more moments like that with the season unfolding the way it is."
Source: PA-WIRE
