James Carragher is not one to gild the lily. Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester ahead of what promises to be a demanding League One campaign, the Wigan Athletic defender gave a candid assessment of the summer so far, describing pre-season as "tough" and acknowledging that the club have had plenty to adjust to before a ball has been kicked competitively.
A pre-season without the familiar faces
Pre-seasons are rarely straightforward for any League One club, but Wigan's summer has carried more disruption than most. The departure of goalkeeper Sam Tickle has drawn particular attention, and Carragher addressed it directly. Tickle had been one of the more recognisable figures in the squad, and losing a reliable presence between the posts always creates a ripple effect through a defensive unit. It is the sort of change that takes time to settle, however many hours you put in on the training ground.
None of that is meant to suggest the club is in disarray. Wigan have already moved in the transfer market this summer, not least by bringing in Finley Burns from Manchester City on a three-year deal, which points to ambition rather than retrenchment. But Carragher's honesty about the difficultly of the period is worth noting. The beginning of a season can be shaped by how well a squad absorbs upheaval, and pre-season is where that work either gets done or does not.
The trip to Barnsley
One of the fixtures Carragher singled out was the visit to Barnsley, which gives a sense of the scale of what Wigan are preparing for. Oakwell has long been one of the more testing away days in the third tier. Barnsley have their own storylines heading into the season, not least the club's efforts to hold together a squad after reported bids for defender Cleary were rejected, but they remain a side capable of making life uncomfortable for anyone who arrives without their shape in order.
For Wigan, that sort of fixture is precisely the kind of examination that tells you where you actually are. Manager Shaun Caldwell spoke after the opening match about his side being "too easy to play against", which is a frank starting point from the dugout. If Carragher's comments on pre-season and Caldwell's early assessment are taken together, the picture that emerges is of a squad that knows it has work to do, and has not pretended otherwise. That, at least, is a reasonable foundation.
What to make of it all in early August
It bears repeating that early August is early August. Four games is four games, and a candid interview in the first week of the season tells you about mood and honesty more than it tells you about where a club will finish in May. Wigan are a side with genuine quality in their ranks, and the spine of what Caldwell is building has not been dismantled, whatever the frustrations of the summer.
The next few weeks will tell Wigan supporters considerably more than any pre-season assessment can. What Carragher's interview does usefully confirm is that the club are not sleepwalking into the season with unfounded optimism. The realism is there. The question, as always, is whether the performances follow.
Fans waiting for more detail from the interview can find it on BBC Sounds via BBC Radio Manchester.
Frequently asked
- What did James Carragher say about Wigan's pre-season?
- Carragher described Wigan's pre-season as tough, pointing to the disruption caused by departures including goalkeeper Sam Tickle as the squad prepared for the new League One campaign.
- Who is Sam Tickle and why did he leave Wigan?
- Sam Tickle was Wigan Athletic's goalkeeper. His departure this summer has been one of the more significant changes to the squad, though Carragher did not detail the specific reasons in his interview beyond acknowledging the loss.
- When do Wigan Athletic play Barnsley this season?
- Wigan's trip to Barnsley has been mentioned by defender James Carragher as a key early fixture. Supporters should check the official club and EFL websites for confirmed dates and kick-off times.