The waiting is over and real thing starts this Saturday with a trip South to face West Ham United.

After some excellents pre-season performances, several new faces and as many of the players have said, the toughest pre-season work-out ever, Wigan Athletic begin their fourth consecutive assault on the Barclays Premier League at Upton Park this Saturday at 3.00pm.

Steve Bruce is happy with the side he has assembled during the close season and both he and assistant Eric Black begin the new campaign having prepared the side their way.

"I'm quite happy with the business we've done," says Steve,

"The most important thing for me was too keep hold of some of the players and so far we've managed to do that.  We've tied one or two of them up, that's for sure.And I'm hoping that with two or three weeks to go there's no movement."

One bit of business that has been concluded today however, was the loan of Marlon King to Hull City.

"He wanted to go and play and we can understand that," Bruce continued,

"With the arrival of Zaki - at one stage we had five or six centre-forwards which is probably a little bit top heavy.

"Henri Camara has come back to the Club and to be honest we didn't think he was coming back until a couple of months ago and he's something different.But he's got a year left on his contract and we'll work with him.



Steve also believes that new signing Amr Zaki will bring a lot to the Club and will be a favourite with the fans.

"Well he's a bit different, that's for sure.The one thing about him is that he's proved, since he been here and been training with us, that he wants to score a goal.

"He came to my attention in the African Cup of Nations - and Egypt have won it twice.He scored two goals in the semi-final and I was sitting watching thinking he's a hell of player.So we monitored him and went out to see him a couple of times and thought - could he do it the Premier League?

"We struck a deal with Zamalek and this is he's big chance.I know for sure that if he doesn't succeed, It'll not be for the lack of trying."


LATICS EXPECTS - Zaki the self confessed entertainer

Latics' first test is against West Ham at Upton Park on Saturday and Bruce knows how tough of an opponent Alan Curbishley can be, despite being the bookies early favourite in the merry-go-round that is the managerial sack race.

"Already before a ball has been kicked we're talking about the sack race but all this nonsense is the down side of the Premier League but it could be anyone.

"You know people have short memories and have forgotten what a wonderful job he did with an injury list long your arm.Alan, unfortunately, for some reason has taken the heat off all of us and next week it could easily be me or somebody else."

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