Chris McCann (D/M Shams b.1987)

[Olé Olé]

He'll be 26 when the season starts and 27 at his earliest chance finally make it the Premiership. If Wigan don't go straight up he'll need a side to stump up a fee if he wants to reach the Premiership before 28. Kevin Doyle signed for McCarthy at Wolves and, at the time, he could have held out for stronger clubs but he spoke of the logic in his thinking that he still had time to move up the ladder.

I'd be disappointed if McCann has signed for Wigan ahead of testing himself with someone like Norwich.

[Charlie Darwin]

He's already played in the Premier League, albeit only for 3 games before doing his knee.

[Charlie Darwin]

Wigan have drawn their first game in Europe 0-0 away at Zulte-Waregem, who came second in Belgium last year. McCann made a late point-saving tackle.:

BBC: Zulte Waregem have a huge chance with five minutes left but Chris McCann does brilliant to block Karel D'Haene's close-range shot. A massive goal-saving effort by the Irishman.

[IsMiseSean]

I've yet to see this lad play. I thought I was going to this evening until BT Sport blocked the coverage in Ireland.

[Charlie Darwin]

Sent off for Wigan in Maribor today as he handled in the box. Seemed to work out for Wigan as the penalty was saved, but they're now 2-1 down having to play the entire second half with 10 men.

[Charlie Darwin]

Scored the opener as Wigan lead 2-0 away to Reading. McClean got the assist.

[elroy]

Wigan look a completely different team under Rosler. Hopefully both McCann and McClean can blossom under his management.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

McCann has put Wigan in front against Cardiff in the FA Cup. Cup holders one step closer to the Quarter Finals.

2-1 to Wigan now.

[Paddy Garcia]

McCann was man of the match - I think he has been very unlucky with injury and will hopefully still make an impact at the highest level.

[Stuttgart88]

Was either of MON or Keane watching?

[Crosby87]

Could there be an all time ireland starting squad with "Mc" in their names?
McGeady, McCann, McPhail, McCarthy. Help me out here.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Was either of MON or Keane watching?

Not sure. The QPR v Reading match was scouted so Doyle and Pearce picked a good game to score in.

[Crosby87]

Roy is always watching.

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQtBnE07khRnu8I3tpXe6j3uYWzLPCqN a-XBIPHloC97uz0OPteGA

[Charlie Darwin]

Could there be an all time ireland starting squad with "Mc" in their names?
McGeady, McCann, McPhail, McCarthy. Help me out here.
Surely we could find a spot for McDLT in there somewhere. Or, Andy Reid, as I like to call him.

[tetsujin1979]

Was either of MON or Keane watching?
Keane was at Everton - Swansea commenting for ITV

[SkStu]

Could there be an all time ireland starting squad with "Mc" in their names?
McGeady, McCann, McPhail, McCarthy. Help me out here.

Do they need to have been capped because, if not, the quick answer is YES.

[SkStu]

The even quicker answer is YES.

Jimmy McAlinden[313] MF 2 0 1946 1946
Jason McAteer[314] MF 52 3 1994 2004
Maxie McCann[315] FW 1 1 1956 1956
Jack McCarthy[316] DF 3 0 1926 1930
James McCarthy*[317] MF 18 0 2010 2013
Mick McCarthy[318] DF 57 2 1984 1992
Mick McCarthy[319] GK 1 0 1932 1932
James McClean*[320] MF 16 0 2012 2013
Tommy McConville[321] DF 6 0 1971 1973
Jacko McDonagh[322] DF 3 0 1983 1984
Jim McDonagh[323] GK 25 0 1981 1985
Andy McEvoy[324] FW 17 6 1961 1967
Aiden McGeady*[325] MF 60 2 2004 2013
Paul McGee[326] FW 15 4 1978 1980
Eddie McGoldrick[327] MF 15 0 1992 1995
Danny McGowan[328] MF 3 0 1949 1949
Johnny McGowan[329] DF 1 0 1947 1947
Mick McGrath[330] MF 22 0 1958 1967
Paul McGrath[331] DF 83 8 1985 1997
Bill McGuire[332] DF 1 0 1935 1935
George McKenzie[333] GK 9 0 1937 1939
Alan McLoughlin[334] MF 42 2 1990 1999
Frank McLoughlin[335] FW 2 0 1930 1931
Billy McMillan[336] DF 2 0 1946 1946
Brendan McNally[337] DF 3 0 1959 1962
Stephen McPhail[338] MF 10 1 2000 2004
Paul McShane*[339] DF 31 0 2006 2013

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Talk about taking the Mc.

[tetsujin1979]

suffered mutiple fractures of his knee cap in a collision with Micah Richards at the weekend - out for the rest of the season: http://www.wiganlatics.co.uk/news/article/14-03-11-chris-mccann-injury-confirmed-1413006.aspx

[Roberto]

Terrible for him. A bad cruciate injury meant he hardly featured in the Premiership for Burnley and now this injury looks like ruling him out of one if not 2 Wembley appearances this season. Without being outstanding he's been consistent for Wigan and can't have been too far away from an international call up.

[Fixer82]

McClean...eh,....i'm out

[gastric]

is this bloke the unluckiest Irish player over the last few years? Injury prone, moves club to try and get Premiership football and his original club Burnley get there before Wigan. This follows his injury plagued season when Burnley were promoted. Hopefully, he gets the opportunity to play in the Premiership at some stage in his career.

[tetsujin1979]

made his come back from injury this week in a behind closed doors friendly against Everton: http://www.wiganlatics.co.uk/news/article/14-10-21-ben-watson-and-chris-mccann-play-in-friendly-2030169.aspx
no word on when he'll play for the Wigan senior side though

[gastric]

Just checking to see if Rob Kiernan played in this game and the man himself is back! Played for about 6 minutes which is fantastic for him. Hopefully, he can remain injury free and can play consistent football he says, crossing himself and touching wood at the same time.


http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/match-report/313949/brighton-1-wigan-0

[Charlie Darwin]

That's terrific news. I look forward to one day being able to open this thread without a knot in my gut.

[Charlie Darwin]

First goal since returning from injury to put Wigan briefly ahead at Sheffield Wednesday.

[Charlie Darwin]

Second of the season to draw Wigan level at Watford.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Set for defensive role this season after impressing on the left side of a back three in pre-season.

http://www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-athletic/latics-news/mccann-s-case-for-the-defence-1-7390989

[gastric]

Set for defensive role this season after impressing on the left side of a back three in pre-season.

http://www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-athletic/latics-news/mccann-s-case-for-the-defence-1-7390989

I have said on here previously that I felt he would make a great left back! Maybe now I will be proved correct. Could be good news for Ireland too if he can make it back to at least the Championship.

[Siberian]

Has made a good contribution to Wigan's imminent return to the Championship..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeHZl1Aj758

[Closed Account]

Scored again today as Wigan secured promotion back to the Championship. Such a shame he got injured with Burnley, always like the look of him.

[DeLorean]

League 1 title is all but mathemically secured now also. Glad to see Wigan back up as well, I don't like seeing teams plummet through the divisions.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Perhaps the first cause-celebre of the Trapattoni era, even before Andy Reid and Wes Hoolahan.

[tetsujin1979]

signing for new MLS side Atlanta United: http://atlutd.com/atlanta-united-signs-irish-midfielder-chris-mccann/
Won't actually play for them until January, when the team joins MLS, and is going on loan until then

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Thought he had joined Serie A team Atalanta for a minute but then I realised he's Irish.

28. Doyle, Keane, O'Dea and St Ledger were all in or around that age when they moved to America. McClean flirted with the idea.

Over the next few years I can see this becoming a recurring theme.

I wouldn't mind but guys like Pirlo, Kaka, Lampard and Gerrard are moving there in their late-thirties.

[tetsujin1979]

None of them were 28 - Doyle was 31, Keane was 31, O'Dea was 25, and St Ledger was 30 when they signed for MLS clubs

[Stuttgart88]

Thought he had joined Serie A team Atalanta for a minute but then I realised he's Irish.

28. Doyle, Keane, O'Dea and St Ledger were all in or around that age when they moved to America. McClean flirted with the idea.

Over the next few years I can see this becoming a recurring theme.

I wouldn't mind but guys like Pirlo, Kaka, Lampard and Gerrard are moving there in their late-thirties.I think you've got to bear in mind that first and foremost football is their job. They have mouths to feed and a limited number of years of peak earning capacity. Good luck to him.

[SkStu]

None of them were 28 - Doyle was 31, Keane was 31, O'Dea was 25, and St Ledger was 30 when they signed for MLS clubs

Average age pf move for those 4 players = 29.25 years old. TOWK gets a pass for this one. ;)


in or around that age

[OwlsFan]

League 1 title is all but mathemically secured now also. Glad to see Wigan back up as well, I don't like seeing teams plummet through the divisions.

Yes and no. Wigan is really a rugby league town and the football club was built on the finances of one man. I was sadder to see the likes of Coventry and Blackpool plummet.

McCann was actually offered a new contract but he couldn't agree personal terms. He's obviously following the $ to the USA.

[Olé Olé]

Yes and no. Wigan is really a rugby league town and the football club was built on the finances of one man. I was sadder to see the likes of Coventry and Blackpool plummet.

McCann was actually offered a new contract but he couldn't agree personal terms. He's obviously following the $ to the USA.

$ and the lifestyle. He was linked with Blackburn too. Has anyone been to Blackburn or Wigan? I'd hazard a guess that Atlanta, with a few more bucks in the pocket, is nicer.

I don't get how people don't understand these decisions. At this point, Championship is probably his ceiling. And he's nowhere near an Ireland cap. Yet, he's been offered an exciting opportunity like this. Dead bloody right to take it. And if he becomes player-manager or a coach there in a couple of years time then more power to him again.

Take a look at James O'Connor. Another man who played much of his career at Championship level. He went over to Orlando City as player/assistant manager. He's now manager of their affiliate, USL side Louisville City FC after Orlando City became an MLS side. That was a quick move up the management and coaching ladder.

[tetsujin1979]

I've been to Atlanta, the city centre is rough, you'd want to watch yourself around there.
There's some nice places to visit - Martin Luther King centre (he's from Atlanta), the olympic site, cnn tower, aquarium, coca-cola museum (seriously - https://www.worldofcoca-cola.com/ )

[DeLorean]

I've been to Wigan, decent enough nightlife. Maybe this isn't such a no-brainer after all. :)

You love your aquariums Tets!

[paul_oshea]

I've been to Atlanta, the city centre is rough, you'd want to watch yourself around there.
There's some nice places to visit - Martin Luther King centre (he's from Atlanta), the olympic site, cnn tower, aquarium, coca-cola museum (seriously - https://www.worldofcoca-cola.com/ )

MARTA.

Moving * Rapidly Through Atlanta.

THey wouldn't let us into the Aquarium in CHicago for some reason, I remember the lady on the desk was real rude and ignorant and I ended up getting ratty. She really loved her job. Still an aquarium in Chicago can't have been offering much.

[Wangball]

I was in Atlanta 10 years ago for a conference and one of the biggest attractions was the worlds largest free standing escalator in the CNN building! Rock and Roll stuff! Also a revolving restaurant on the 75th floor of a hotel....a very queasy experience!

[Stuttgart88]

Exactly. Wigan has a Chinese restaurant which Dave Whelan described in, shall we say, archaic terms.

[DeLorean]

Yes and no. Wigan is really a rugby league town and the football club was built on the finances of one man. I was sadder to see the likes of Coventry and Blackpool plummet.

I know but that kind of thing doesn't bother me so much. If anything, that makes their plight all the more difficult when they don't really generate much support because of the more popular rugby league team, even allowing for their sugar daddy (a fairly tame sugar daddy by some PL standards). That said, half empty football grounds don't look good, so in that sense they're probably not a big loss from the top flight anyway.

[tetsujin1979]

I've been to Wigan, decent enough nightlife. Maybe this isn't such a no-brainer after all. :)

You love your aquariums Tets!
I've only been to three! Atlanta, Sea Life in Bray and now La Rochelle!
I did mean to go to the one in Barcelona, didn't have time :(

[sadloserkid]

The day Wigan were relegated from the Premiership (at Arsenal IIRC) their fans were still hopping up and down like seals on acid when any of them realised that they'd been picked up by the Sky cameras (all but one guy whose life had clearly just ended who my heart broke a little bit for). If the fans of Wigan were happy to get relegated I was happy to see them go. It's fair to say that they haven't been missed.

I've only had a stopover in the airport in Atlanta. I have been in Blackburn. The airport was marginally more fun, a whole lot prettier and far easier to get around.

[DeLorean]

They had just won the F.A. Cup to be fair to them.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I am trying to think of name players from any other European country who go to the MLS at such an age and I'm struggling.

Even the players the next rung down from from Gerrard and Lampard like Benoit Cheyrou tend to be 34 or 35 when they go over.

It's a nice move for the family but I don't think it's a great career move in the strictest sense of the word.

I get the impression a lot of Irish players in Britain wouldn't/don't consider a move to foreign speaking countries in Europe because they're too comfortable or whipped.

That's probably why Jack Byrne was able to move to Cambuur, because he got his independence early, is young and doesn't/didn't have a partner when he went over.

I think it's pretty disappointing TBH.

And come on - the Championship is miles ahead of the MLS. Whatever the merits about living in and raising a family in America.