Wigan Athletic’s Chris McCann has spent the majority of his career as a central midfielder, however Latics boss Gary Caldwell shifted the Irishman into a wing-back role at the start of this season.
Speaking to the Wigan Evening Post, McCann outlined how much he is enjoying his new role in a Latics side chasing promotion to The Championship at the first time of asking.
28-year-old McCann has made 85 appearances and scored seven goals since becoming Wigan’s first signing after returning to the Football League in June 2013.
A successful first season at The Latics for McCann was cut abruptly short after suffering a serious knee injury in Wigan’s 2-1 win over Manchester City in an FA Cup Quarter-Final fixture on March 9 2014. As a result, McCann would remain out of action for eight months, returning to Latics action on November 4 2014 in a 1-0 loss to Brighton.
A lack of form stemming from his injury saw McCann only make a further 18 appearances in the 2014/15 season, as The Latics were relegated from The Championship.
Despite being a top contender to leave the club in the following summer window, McCann remained with The Latics heading into League One, and has made 28 appearances as well as scoring two goals.
At the beginning of the 15/16 season, McCann’s position and role at Wigan changed. Boss Gary Caldwell decided McCann would be more effective playing as either the furthest left of three centre-backs or as a left wing-back. So far, the decision to shift the Irishman away from his more familiar central midfield role has proven to be an astute one.
McCann and his fellow teammates currently boast the second best defence in League One, having only conceded 29 goals in 30 matches.
When speaking with the Wigan Evening Post about his new role, McCann commented:
“The formation we’ve been playing this season, with the wing-backs, suits my game,”
In a wing-back role, McCann has been granted more space and freedom to get forward and run with the ball on the flanks, a role the 28-year-old has flourished in so far.
“The gaffer’s been encouraging me to get myself forward, with no real onus to stay back and defend.
“The space is always there to drive into, and I was able to do that again at Sheffield United on Saturday, even though we were playing a back four.
“I managed to win a penalty as well as get another couple of runs into the area, and I’m enjoying the role.”
A stellar defensive effort from McCann and Wigan last week saw The Latics prevent Sheffield United from scoring at Bramall Lane for the first time all season, an achievement which McCann is certainly not understating.
“They’re a very difficult side to play against, and it was very satisfying to shut them out.
“Not many teams will go there and keep a clean sheet this season.
“It keeps the momentum going, and closes the gap on the top two which is also nice to see.”
McCann’s Wigan face-off against Oldham on a newly laid pitch at the DW Stadium on Saturday, looking to extend The Latics’ unbeaten run to 10 games.
