Callum Lang’s game-winning cameo against Oxford United, according to Shaun Maloney, was a reward for going above and beyond in the Wigan Athletic locker room.
Just moments after his arrival, he skillfully curled a brilliant free-kick over the wall to win consecutive games for just the second time this season.
Maloney hopes the 25-year-old will receive a huge boost after scoring his first league goal since September 13 of last year.
The Latics’ manager stated, “Langy takes full credit for that; he works very hard on the training ground.”
“He took the mannequins out on Monday after training and played with a bag of balls for fifteen to twenty minutes.
“It’s a fantastic message for our Academy and the other players in our squad.
“Hard work pays off, and it definitely did for him with that free-kick.”
Throughout his career, Maloney—a free-kick expert—denied having any influence over Lang’s endeavor.
“Free-kicks, I always found a very individual thing,” he stated.
Thus, each player must discover a method or approach that suits them best.
Practice makes perfect, and Langy has been putting in a lot of effort.
“I was ecstatic for him, and his relief was evident on his face as soon as it went in.
When he plays at his peak, he is an incredible player.
“I’m sure he’s been annoyed that despite having numerous opportunities, he hasn’t scored.
“I hope now he really kicks on because, when he’s at his best, he’s such a big player for us.”
Lang has also been coping with the extra “frustration” of being suspended for the recent controversial match at Stevenage, which infuriated the Latics camp, and missing the weekend trip to Exeter.
“It’s been difficult, that was a really difficult moment for him,” said Maloney.
“Getting yellow cards that are irreversible makes things very tough, and he’s already missed a game as a result.
“But he’s come back from that and we’ve all seen what he can do.”
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