Shaun Maloney opens up on 'hardest part' of being Wigan Athletic manager - 'It might cause me problems down the road'

At the beginning of the second season of rebuilding the club under the Mike Danson ownership, Maloney says he's constantly torn between talking up the aims - short term and long term - while acknowledging the economic reality of cost-cutting.

"I would say that's the hardest part of what we're trying to do this season," the Latics chief said. "I don't want to dampen the expectation of our fans, but it certainly feels hard at times to continually try to win and also develop...that's been the hardest thing for me over the last couple of months.

"It's about getting the staff to believe we're still moving forwards, because a lot of the staff were here during previous set-ups and owners when the budget was very different. That's been tough...I've been trying to get it right with the fans, but it is tough.

"It's managing that expectation level...I don't want to dampen anything, because I was here when this club was very different, at a very different level. So I don't want to ever stop them believing we'll ever get back to the level above, and even pushing for the level above that.

"While I don't ever want to dampen that, we also have to be realistic about where we are at the moment, and the budget we have, and the kids that are playing. I will never dampen that...and it might cause me problems down the road...but we might as well try to finish as high up this league as possible.

"And I still believe that, if we get it right, particularly over the next seven days or so, we've got a real chance of fighting for that top six. That said, I know the expectation level at this club in this division is aiming for the top one, so maybe I need to do a bit of work on that myself."

Having achieved last season’s overall goal – staying in League One – Maloney’s target this term is an assault on the top six, despite having a budget he describes as ‘mid-table’.

"This is our second season under the new ownership, and last year was all about staying up, getting to that 50-point mark,” added Maloney, who expects to be a busy man during the last few days of the transfer window.

"I think probably from a club point of view, trying to give realistic ambitions to the fans...we probably haven't quite got it right. Normally, we would have gone out and outspent everyone...that's been the sort of process in previous years in this division.

"So I get that the fans want and expect us to be at that level...and I don't ever want to stop that. But I've sensed it right from the Charlton game, that there's a real expectation for us to push for top two, top six...and again, the last thing I want to do is dampen that.

"It's going to be so tough...and that's okay too, that's my job."