Wigan Athletic‘s decision to part company with manager Shaun Maloney has been branded ‘ludicrous’ by talkSPORT pundit Jeff Stelling.
The Latics slipped to 15th in League One on Saturday following a 2-1 home loss against Reading. The result came one week from an impressive 2-1 victory over promotion contenders Huddersfield Town, but that remains their only win in their last seven league outings.
The defeat against the Royals proved to be Maloney’s final game in charge, despite stabilising the club since his arrival in early 2023. Maloney had previously won the FA Cup with Wigan during his playing days. He endured a torrid first few months at the helm, having to deal with a number of off-the-field antics which ultimately cost them relegation from the Championship.
The Greater Manchester-based side were docked eight points during the 2023/24 campaign, leaving them with a mountain to climb to avoid back-to-back relegations. However, Maloney pulled off a minor miracle by guiding them to an impressive 12th-placed finish.
Stelling & McCoist Astounded By Sacking
Although Wigan are only six points above the relegation places, pundits Jeff Stelling and Ally McCoist revealed their disbelief at the decision. Speaking on talkSPORT, Stelling said:
“I tell you what, first of all, the Shaun Maloney sacking is ludicrous. Absolutely ludicrous. He has stayed there, been very loyal to the club when there were issues with payment under a previous ownership. I know it’s an unpopular decision with the fans, they are 15th, miles off relegation, most of the players are young and in their early 20s. He’s a popular figure and I don’t get it at all.”
Agreeing, McCoist said:
“I was coming back up yesterday and I was reading all about it. There was not anybody from Wigan supporters thought it was a good idea. They were all backing Shaun to the hilt.”
Writer’s View
There’s little doubt that Wigan’s announcement came as a shock. However, Stelling claims the Latics are ‘miles off’ relegation, which isn’t strictly true. Their position suggests they are comfortable but they are only six points off the drop zone with 13 games left to play. This is the stage of the season where some clubs at the bottom can hit a bit of form to pull themselves out of trouble and with only one win in seven, Wigan are in real danger of being pulled into the mix. It will be interesting to see if they hit a bit of form now, starting tomorrow with the trip to an out-of-form Mansfield Town.
