Wigan Athletic star aiming to pick up the most from new gaffer

The Academy product is probably the closest member of the current squad to Maloney in terms of playing style.

And he's aiming to pick the brains of the former Scotland international to help lift the side out of the Championship drop zone.

"On a personal note, it's very good for myself, as a player who plays wide, and wanting to add numbers in attack, to be working with someone who did that so well," Lang said.

"All last week and before the Blackburn game he was having little conversations with me about my game.

"I think he can be really good for me, and a lot of the lads to be fair, he's spoken to a few others about things they can be working on.

"As players you appreciate that, anything that can make that little bit of a difference.

"It's only early days but the training's been going really well and it was a very promising first performance."

Latics kicked off the Maloney era in decent fashion with a creditable draw at play-off chasing Blackburn.

"We definitely looked more solid, and we carried a threat, especially on the counter attack," Lang assessed.

"Early doors it was more end to end, which meant we maybe a little bit towards the end.

"But on the whole it was a positive performance and promising for the group.

"Every point's massive for us, we're obviously in a position we don't want to be in.

"We're getting closer to that win, which will hopefully kick us off and enable us to go on a little run.

"I really believe we can get out of this - we all do.

"I know a lot of people will already have written us off but, as a player, that's sometimes a nice thing.

"You want to prove people wrong, and I think if people could see into the group, and the training ground, and the dressing room, they maybe wouldn't be so quick to write us off.

"It's never dull here, and I wouldn't change that really.

"It's up to us to make sure we stay in this league, and we're all confident we can do that."

Latics have work to do if they are to get out of trouble, with this weekend's visit of fellow strugglers Huddersfield the very definition of a six-pointer.

The visitors are also seeking their third manager of the campaign, having potted Mark Fotheringham in midweek, but Lang is hoping Latics have put all their upheaval behind them.

"There's obviously been a lot of change this season,” added Lang. "But the gaffer's come in, he's wanted to implement his own style on us, we've done a lot of work on phases of play, and we looked comfortable with our shape on Monday night.

"Even with the changes we had to make because of injuries, the lads who came in slotted straight into the shape and everyone knew their jobs.

"The shape is so important, that's something we've maybe lacked at times, and maybe explains why we are where we are in the table.

"I think we've also lacked a little bit of concentration with our shape, and we've got to keep it that way now."