Defenders Review

Heading into the weekend, it seems as though the only familiar face in our back line will be Boycey. But with the talent Coyle has brought in, that shouldn’t be much of a problem.

Stephen Crainey. Don’t expect anything too fancy out of The Crain. He’s a hard-nosed Scottish footballer who’s played a season or two. Preseason has shown that he’s tough to beat and not afraid to play the easy pass. Crainey should be a dependable full-back option this season and a stable presence in our passing scheme.

Thomas Rogne. This youngster can have a promising career at Wigan if kept healthy. Rogne has struggled with injuries his whole career, but hopefully the physios at the DW can help those weak baby bones. In the preseason, Rogne has been impressive, but after subbing off against Dundee with a possible back injury, it’s unclear if we’ll see him this weekend.

James Perch. In my opinion, Perch has shown his Premier League class throughout the preseason. He’s determined not to be beat and can dictate the tempo of our passing even from the defense. When on the ball, Perch knows when to thread a pass to an attacking option and when to play the smart pass. In addition to this, his ability to play anywhere on the back line will prove handy in the long upcoming season.

Emmerson Boyce. The true vet. With Boyce in the lineup, Latic fans get a sense of security. The Wigan Workhorse has been hustling up and down the DW touchlines for 7 seasons, and from the looks of preseason, he intends to do the same in his 8^th. You have to respect Boycey’s work ethic and commitment to our club. With Caldwell out, he’ll serve as the perfect captain in our season opener.

Juan Carlos García. While we didn’t get to see García in the preseason, I got to see a little of the Honduran when he played in the Gold Cup. From what I saw, we should expect an aggressive left back who takes full advantage of his opportunities to get forward.

Gary Caldwell and Iván Ramis. Of course, these two are out, and we won’t be seeing them this weekend, but being such integral parts of our defense, they deserve a mention. Last year wasn’t the best for Big Gary Caldwell, and the fans know it. He frustrated us on countless occasions, but let’s hope ol’ cap’n can find some good form in the Championship. With Ramis, the expectations are a little higher. We Wigan fans have faith that his return will spell out a drastic improvement in the back line. If the Spaniard is able to find his form from when he was healthy in the Premiership last season, he should really shine in the Second Division.