LATICS look set to undergo a style shift after Keith Curle was confirmed as the club’s new head coach.

After Harry Kewell’s “we’ll score more than them” philosophy brought some excellent attacking play and plenty of questionable defending, Curle is known for a more pragmatic approach to matters in the dugout.

It helped bring about a first promotion of his managerial career with Northampton in the League Two play-offs last season but ultimately, when results turned sour in the third tier, fans found the style of football tough to stomach at times.

But there is no doubting the one-time Manchester City favourite brings a wealth of experience with him to Boundary Park and he is no stranger to steadying the ship when landing a new job.

Northampton’s promotion came after he arrested an alarming slide towards the foot of the fourth tier and he has done his fair share of firefighting elsewhere as well.

Carlisle were also in a spot of bother on Curle’s arrival but he steered them to safety before finishes of 10th, fourth and 10th.

He had the Cumbrians in automatic promotion contention in the 2016-17 campaign only to miss out in the play-offs.

The 57-year-old’s managerial career actually dates all the way back to 2002 and started at Mansfield with other spells at Chester, Torquay and Notts County.

Speaking about his style of play when under pressure at Sixfields in December he said: “It’s finding a way to win.

“The modern scripture seems to be that there is the right way or the wrong way to play football, but I think plan B is finding a way to win.

“If we want to go out and compete playing football with some teams then we will be in for a difficult afternoon. But in finding ways to win, we give ourselves another opportunity when we are all on the same page, and I think that is important.

“We are gaining an identity, we are gaining a way of winning games that is effective for us and our group.

“It might not be respected and it might not be applauded by others, but ultimately we have clear objectives of what our main aim is this season.

“Some might say it is short-termism, but within football and within football management, your short-term aim is to win the next game.”

It could be that we see a shift to three at the back, often a preferred system of Curle’s.

And in Nicky Adams, he links up with his former skipper at Northampton and someone who having played at full back under Kewell, may find himself a wing back once more.

It will of course be results that should have the final say here, starting at Port Vale this evening, a side themselves in desperate need of a shot in the arm.

Curle’s recent successes have come with time though and given Latics’ recent history, and the fact he has initially only signed a deal until the end of the season, the odds are against that being something he is afforded.

He will hope that his ‘Mysterious Curle’ chant, after Peter Andre’s pop classic, will be heard at Boundary Park some time in the near future.

After all, if he’s around long enough to send a side out in front of fans, that will his first mission accomplished.