Wigan Athletic boss reveals 'perfect example of player I want'

The Northern Ireland international has come in from the cold to star in Latics' last two matches, the wins over Stoke and Millwall that have kept alive their faint survival chances..

Having spent much of the campaign on the sidelines or the bench, waiting for his chance, Magennis has taken it with both hands.

And the way in which he's gone about it has not been lost on his manager, who believes Magennis could continue to play a big part in the rebuild.

"For sure," he said. "Josh is contracted here for another year, but I haven't actually spoken to the players about beyond this season.

"But Josh has been brilliant for the last two games, and what you probably don't see is that he's one of the 'captains' in the dressing room.

"He's very vocal - very, very vocal - but you need people in your club like that.

"He's been on the bench, he's come off the bench, and he's started, but he hasn't changed one bit off the pitch.

"And I want a squad of players exactly like that.

"If they're not playing, and they might not agree with my decision, but they fight to get back in the team, while being very respectful.

"Josh has actually been a perfect example of the kind of player I want in my team and in my club."

The 32-year-old striker has certainly made the most of his experience in the game, which included going through previous cash-flow difficulties during his time at Bolton.

"Whether it's the next two games, two months, two years, I want players who can really respect the team dynamics," Maloney said.

"I know everyone can't play, but he respects every decision I make.

"And what I've loved is he's fought in the right way to get into the team.

"He's a real competitor - what you saw at Stoke was as good as anything we've seen this season, in terms of a No.9 performance.

"He's a prime example of everything we want in terms of the culture we're trying to create."

Maloney also insists his all-round contribution extends to far more than the two goals he has produced this term.

"I don't judge a No.9 on goals, same as I don't judge Will Keane or Callum Lang on goals," added the Latics manager.

"I know they want to score goals, but I think a big part of that is my job to get the team more creative.

"In the last two games we have, but if Josh performs the way he has been doing in the next two games, and he doesn't score, I'll still be delighted.

"I definitely feel at times I'm coaching him slightly differently in terms of his movement in the box.

"But the bigger thing is us trying to create more chances as a team which, if I can do that, will make his job easier as a striker."