Former Ireland international Glenn Whelan has today been appointed as first-team coach of League One side Wigan Athletic.
Whelan's most recent coaching role was in the friendly internationals as part of John O'Shea's Ireland set-up.
40-year-old Whelan has coached in the EFL before as he served his time with League One side Bristol Rovers during Joey Barton's ill-fated reign.
After having a very successful playing career over 22 years that included over 600 club caps for Stoke City, Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa among others, the Dublin native takes the role under former Celtic star Shaun Maloney at the Brick Community Stadium.
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🤝 We are delighted to confirm the appointment of former Republic of Ireland coach Glenn Whelan!
Welcome to Wigan Athletic, Glenn! 💙#wafc 🔵⚪️— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) September 21, 2024
A fierce competitor during his playing days, Whelan will be a fantastic role model for Latics’ young squad, joining Max Rogers, Andy Lonergan and Shadab Iftikhar in Maloney’s coaching team.
Having played 91 times for our senior International side, Whelan will bring a huge amount of experience to the role.
Speaking to Wigan Athletic following the appointment, the Irishman was delighted:
I feel absolutely honoured to have joined Wigan Athletic. It’s a fantastic Football Club, and the existing project is really exciting, and something that I cannot wait to be a part of.
I would like to thank Shaun Maloney for providing me with the opportunity to continue my coaching career with the Club. His coaching philosophies align with my own, and I am hoping I can use my experiences - both as a player and a coach - to help the players as much as I can.
Whelan was brought in ahead of today's league clash away to Lincoln City which the Latics drew 0-0. Wigan have struggled for form in the early part of the season, only picking up seven points from their opening six matches.
