Mario Melchiot believes that Steve Bruce's will to win has helped Wigan forge a tough team spirit that will help the Latics avoid repeating the relegation dog-fight they had to endure last season.
The Wigan captain cites Sunday May 11 as the best example of the former Manchester United defender's irrepressible desire to win.
That day saw Bruce welcome his old manager Sir Alex Ferguson to the JJB Stadium in the final match of the 2007-08 season.
Wigan had already secured their Premier League survival the previous weekend with a 2-0 home win over Aston Villa, making the fixture a dead rubber for Bruce's side.
Cynics suggested that Bruce, who enjoyed nine successful seasons under Ferguson at United, could lend his old boss a hand by giving United an easy game so they could clinch the title.
The 31-year-old, though, dismisses that idea out of hand.
"I definitely knew that he wanted to win that game. I was injured that day and he told me I had to be here. He made me fly back from Holland," said Melchiot.
"I was trying to get ready for the Euros (Euro 2008) and he said to me that just for the spirit of the team he wanted his captain to be there.
"If your manager calls you have got to be back. When he calls me I'm there, finished. I couldn't really say to him 'I can't come back', because I knew what he wanted.
"The only thing I can say is that he's a winner and he's a person who tries to make sure that all the players feel comfortable around him.
"I think that's probably two of the biggest parts of him. No matter what happens, he always wants to win."
Wigan will be looking to make a better start to the season than last year when they step out against West Ham on Saturday.
The Latics' dreadful start to the last campaign cost then manager Chris Hutchings his job after seven months in charge.
Wigan eventually recovered under Bruce to finish 14th and Melchiot put the club's revival down to the hard-working mentality Bruce impressed upon the players.
"When Steve Bruce came everybody started looking at different things and he shook the team up and put the discipline a bit right.
"Some of the guys probably had the situation where they maybe had the sun above their head. He took the sun away and made sure that everybody worked a bit harder," said the former Chelsea defender.
Melchiot, who made 33 starts for the Latics last year, also hailed Bruce's capture of Egyptian Amr Zaki.
The striker has bagged two goals in the two pre-season fixtures he has played for Wigan since signing on loan from Zamalek, and his captain has been impressed by what he has seen of him so far.
"He's a good player and he wants to score goals and I think that's the big thing for him.
"He'll put his life on the line just to put the ball in the net and I think that's the kind of player we really need," said Melchiot.
