Johnson on a big week
Lee Johnson admits the next week could well define Latics' season.Latics have three massively important home games in eight days starting tomorrow with the visit of Wolves in the first round of the FA Cup with Budweiser.
That is following by a Northern Area Quarter Final in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy against Notts County on Tuesday and Sky Bet League 1 match against Milton Keynes Dons next Saturday.
"What a great week it could be or a bad one. The boys are in good nick and hopefully it will be a great week to kick start the season," explained Latics' manager.
Johnson (pictured) is looking for cup heroes to emerge as happened last season with Matt Smith whose goals helped Latics reached the fifth round.
He continued: "Look at what happened with Matt Smith. There was talk of him going out on loan to Macclesfield but the finances couldn't be agreed.
"All of a sudden he was thrust into the limelight here and now he is at a Championship club playing every week.
"Football is made like that and you could see a player like Jonson Clarke-Harris going on a similar run."
Tomorrow will be Johnson's first FA Cup tie as a manager.
He has great memories of the cup as a player with former club Yeovil Town renowned as cup giantkillers long before he played for them.
Their most famous win was in 1948 when, as a Southern League club, they defeated Arsenal.
Johnson said: "Yeovil have pulled off a few giantkilling acts and are famous for that.
"While I was a player at Yeovil we played Charlton, then a top 10 Premier League side, in the fifth round.
"I also remember getting Liverpool out of the hat and thinking it was surreal being at Yeovil and playing Liverpool, a feeling you couldn't beat."
Latics' manager admitted that the FA Cup requires different qualities.
He said: "Performances in the FA Cup have to be of character and a lot of other things go out of the window.
"Often it is more raw emotion rather than tactical. I will be looking for our boys to show character and their personality on the pitch."
Johnson added that he is tempted to show his players a DVD of the highlights of last season's exciting run to the fifth round to inspire them.