Wigan Athletic ace Reece James is happy in the middle

The 19-year-old rising star, on loan from Chelsea, has impressed fans throughout his stay at the DW with performances beyond his years.

And although he admits he has had new things to learn through manager Paul Cook’s reshuffle, the England under-20s ace isn’t resisting the change.

“I’m making mistakes as I’m going along but it’s all good for my development,” he said.

“I’ve not played midfield for the last year to 18 months, but I don’t mind playing there if the manager sees fit.

“Once I get the ball I’m able to do my stuff, play it about, stay strong.

“It’s not that different to playing at full-back, the principles are the same.

“If you’re half decent on the ball and have an understanding of what’s around you, you should do all right wherever.”

In January James opted to stay with Wigan for the remainder of his loan spell - rather than return to Chelsea or seek opportunities on loan elsewhere.

But he explained the reasons for wanting to stay in the North West until summer.

“It’s a great bunch of lads here, and I’m delighted to be staying,” he said.

“I didn’t really know what to expect when I first came here last summer.

“But I’m happy with the way it’s gone, I haven’t looked back.”

Wigan face bottom club Ipswich at home on Saturday looking to widen the gap between themselves and those in a relegation scrap below them.

Earlier this month at Rotherham’s New York Stadium, James came through a physical battle where some observers made the case for him being targeted on the pitch by Millers’ players.

But James treated the experience as another case of ticking off a box on his development list.

And he also warned that he will not be fazed by similar tactics in the future.

“I’ve never really been involved in a game like that, so it was great for me on a personal level,” he said.

“I think I showed I’m up for the fight and I’m not going to give up easily.”