Wigan Athletic interim manager Glenn Whelan has admitted he wasn’t keen on taking the position on a temporary basis following Shaun Maloney’s sacking last week.
The Latics made the shock decision to part company with Maloney last Sunday following a 2-1 home defeat against Reading. It was a result that left them 15th in League One and just six points above the relegation zone.
The 42-year-old had taken the position in 2023 with the club staring down the barrel of relegation from the Championship. Amid off-the-field difficulties, they did eventually drop into League One and were slapped with two separate four point deductions for a series of financial breaches.
Despite that, Maloney stabilised the club, securing an impressive 12th-placed finish in the third tier. It was hoped he would build on that this season, but another campaign of mid-table obscurity has followed.
Whelan Makes Stark Admission
Former Republic of Ireland midfielder Glenn Whelan was immediately handed the reins on a temporary basis whilst Wigan conduct their search for a permanent successor. He secured a 0-0 draw with Mansfield Town on Tuesday night to open up a seven point gap on the bottom four, but admits the past few days have been difficult.
Speaking to Wigan Today, the 41-year-old said:
“Listen, for me, who’s brand new to coaching, to be thrown in as interim manager…it’s not something I really wanted.
“I’m only here at Wigan because of Shaun, and I spoke to him straightaway…the first thing I did was thank him, because I wouldn’t be here at Wigan without him, 100 per cent.
“He was the one who took a chance on me, to bring me in, and I just wish we could have got the right results as a group that would have seen him stay around a long time.
“I wish him all the best, we’ll be in touch, we’ll go for a coffee or probably a beer and have a chat about things…I’ll only ever have the utmost of respect for him.”
Wigan host relegation-threatened Cambridge United on Saturday.
Writer’s View
It’s all become a bit of a mess at Wigan. Maloney’s departure did come as a shock, especially following the work he did last season. Although recent form has been a bit of a disappointment, it would have been wise to wait until the end of the campaign to decide to go in a different direction. Although relelgation to League Two may be a possibility, it is still incredibly unlikely due to the amount of teams below them. It’s even more staggering when taking into consideration that there doesn’t appear to be a plan on who his successor will be.
