Joe Williams would love to be Wigan Athletic captain down the track

Joe Williams believes he has the attributes to one day be captain of Wigan Athletic.
Joe Williams in action for Latics before the season was haltedJoe Williams in action for Latics before the season was halted
Joe Williams in action for Latics before the season was halted

The 23-year-old has been learning how current skipper Samy Morsy deals with the role, on and off the pitch.

He also observed how Phil Jagielka led the team at former club Everton.

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And Williams says he would like to be handed the armband later in his career – and thinks he would be comfortable with the responsibility.

“I like to be vocal and lead by example,” he said. “I’d love nothing better than to be captain of the team.

“It’s a big responsibility and it’d be an honour to be captain.

“I’m quite young and I’m learning so much, so I take little pieces from Samy and how he deals with things in the dressing room – it’s a different class – and how he leads on and off the pitch, how he lives his life. I took bits from Jagielka at Everton. It’s something I can see in the future and I think I’d be quite comfortable with it.”

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Williams was speaking during a video interview on the Facebook page of the Wigan Athletic Community Trust.

The midfielder, who signed for the club last summer after loan spells in the Championship with Barnsley and then Bolton, returned to training alongside his team-mates on Monday. Players are maintaining social distancing. “Everyone is feeling good and healthy,” he said. “We’ve been split into groups of four or five, cracked on with running and doing a bit of ball work. It’s nice to see the lads.

“Obviously we have to take these steps before we go into contact training.”

And after that is the prospect of returning to action to complete the season behind closed doors. Williams admits some players may find it harder to perform at their best without fans at the venues, but doesn’t envisage any issues himself. He added: “For me, whether I was playing in a street or on a field, I’d just want to win. It doesn’t affect me but I do know people I have played with who it does affect, they need a good atmosphere to get themselves going.

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“So it does play a massive part for a lot of players. For me personally it doesn’t make a difference and I know a few of the lads at Wigan are the same.

“I’m sure as soon as we kick off with a competitive game, most players will be fine with it.”