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Martinez grateful for Whelan's trust

Franco di Santo stunned Sunderland at the death © Getty Images

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Wigan manager Roberto Martinez believes the club can look forward to great success in the Premier League because chairman David Whelan has kept his faith in the Spaniard.

The Latics came from behind to defeat Sunderland 2-1 on Saturday, a vital result that moved them off the foot of the table.

Pressure had been mounting on Martinez after a slow start to the campaign but Whelan was always vocal in his support of the manager, a stance that Martinez believes has kept the club on the right long-term path for success.

"Big changes take a long time and the chairman understood that and he supported me through thick and thin," Martinez told FIFA.com.

"Now we have the rewards, two years later we have an average group that has played a lot of games in the Premier League but with a very young age, and that gives you real good assets in the football club.

"But I think the way to play now is quite established in our football club, and to do that you need to be a chairman that has been involved on the playing field - not just in football - but on the playing field.

"He's played in every division, he's been a chairman in every division and that's a huge strength for any manager to have that relationship with a chairman, that he understands the game, he understands the footballer, he can see if you're going in the right direction or not beyond the results.

"Sometimes we are a bit fickle - we get carried away with good results and we get carried away negatively with bad results, and he's got that calm presence of understanding if we are on the right path or not."

Whelan has recently suggested that he is ready to hand down the running of the club to his 21-year-old grandson, but Martinez cannot see the businessman walking away just yet.

"You can't imagine Wigan Athletic without Dave Whelan, one doesn't go without the other," he said. "The chairman, actively or not, will always have the presence, meaning and soul of this football club.

"I don't believe him when he says that he's going to step down, he'll have to be pushed away to leave Wigan Athletic."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.