Wigan Athletic boss insists Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson's achievements demand respect
The presence of Darren Ferguson in the visiting dugout is enough to make Wigan Athletic boss Ryan Lowe wary of out-of-sorts Peterborough United.
Posh travel to the Brick Community Stadium for a League One fixture on Saturday having lost all three of their competitive matches so far this season. In contrast Wigan have won two of theirs including an opening day 3-1 League One win at home to Northampton Town.
Ferguson’s humorous comment about Posh players ‘only being good against mannequins’ after a dismal display in defeat at Accrington Stanley in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday was mentioned to Lowe at his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
"If that's what he's said, that's up to him," Lowe told Wigan Today. “But firstly I don't read what other managers are saying, and secondly I wouldn't take any notice even if I did. The fact of the matter is it isn't about me and Darren, or what we say, it's about the two teams on the day.
"Whoever executes the game-plan better on the day will probably win the game, and we have to make sure that's us.
"Darren is a fierce competitor. He's had numerous promotions in this division. The results haven't been what he would have liked so far, but I respect him and his achievements. He'll know how to motivate his players, and what to say to get the best out of them, the same as me with my players."
"He's someone whose record demands respect and that's exactly what we'll be doing this week. He's had a wonderful career and Peterborough are a good team, well managed, well organised, so we can't take anything for granted just because they've not won any games so far
"They've got some fantastic young players, average age of 21/22, and that's the Peterborough mould, that's what they try and do.
"Our approach will be the same as any team we play - we'll leave no stone unturned, we'll respect them but we won't fear them.”
Ferguson is due to hold his pre-match press conference on Friday.