Latics Abroad: October 2011

Ah the international breaks, what wonderfull things. It allows our players to return home, get themsleves tired and injured and come back and cause us to win games. In the past few years we have been lucky to have only one or two pkayers travel leaving the bulk of the squad at home to build towards the weekend. but not this time.

Latics will be without eight key players for the upcoming week. Something Martinez is seeing as a positive, for both players and the club.

Patrick van Aanholt started off Wigan's contingent abroad, playing for Netherlands Under 21 side against Austria, where they won 1-0.

Gary Caldwell and James McArthur will play against Liechtenstein and Spain as they hope to help Scotland gain qualification to next year's Euro's.

James McCarthy is away with the Republic of Ireland as they face Andorra and Aremenia in two cruch games for the Irish. Ali Al Habsi's Oman team take on Australia and must win to be with any chance of qualifying for the the 2016 World Cup.

Mohamed Diame will play for Senegal on Sunday playing Mauritius.

Emerson Boyce and Maynor Figueroa both travel to South America. Boyce faces Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, while Figueroa will face the USA and Jamaica.

Martinez has said that the international break, although known for breaking teams, says it will give players a chance to rest and focus on the task at hand.

"You never want to stop a good momentum, but I dont think we can say we have that."

"So in that respect it maybe a good time to be having an international break."

"It gives us time to work hard to get everyone back on the field, and try to regain that competition for places that has served us well."

Source: Click Lancashire