Wigan Athletic boss explains captaincy call and reveals disappointment over James McClean exit

Latics have lost a number of leaders since the end of last term, with skipper Tendayi Darikwa, vice-captain Max Power and club captain Jamie Jones leaving at the end of their contracts.

Maloney then saw Jack Whatmough and James McClean - the two leading candidates for the armband - depart on the eve of the campaign for Preston and Wrexham respectively.

Callum Lang led Latics out at Derby on Saturday, but Maloney has confirmed Magennis - who is recovering from a knee injury sustained at the end of last term - will be captain on his return.

“We’ve got a leadership group, which is down to five now with James McClean leaving," explained Maloney.

"We thought long and hard about it, and Josh Magennis was a standout candidate.

“I’ve got a very young group and I wanted someone with real international experience.

"Josh will lead the captaincy, and Callum will be the vice-captain."

Speaking after the win at Pride Park, Maloney also admitted his disappointment at McClean's decision to move to Wrexham less than 24 hours before the big kick-off.

"I was really disappointed," he said. "I really wanted to keep James and, as he put on his social media, I wanted him to be captain of the team this year.

"Look, I understand the decision he's made, and I'll never say a bad word against him.

"He played last year when he hadn't been paid, and he trained hard every day, he gave me absolutely everything.

"He just came to a decision that he would get more security at a different club.

"I would have loved him to have stayed, he decided he needed that security, and I respect that.

"We're both going to have to move on, that happens in football, sometimes things are taken out of your control."

Magennis and Lang – along with McClean – were last week named in Maloney’s six-man ‘leadership group’, along with new signing Sean Clare, young gun Charlie Hughes and the experienced Charlie Wyke.