Whelan appointed First Team Coach at Wigan

The 40-year-old made more than 200 Premier League appearances for Stoke City and Aston Villa, as well as playing 91 times for his national side.

The UEFA A Licence coach has since worked with the Republic of Ireland since May 2022, as part of their U16s staff and also with Interim Manager John O’Shea for the men’s senior team.

Last month he was appointed First Team Coach at fellow League One side Bristol Rovers and now joins Max Rogers, Andy Lonergan and Shadab Iftikhar on Wigan Manager Shaun Maloney’s coaching team.

“I would like to thank Shaun Maloney for providing me with the opportunity to continue my coaching career with the club,” Whelan said.

“His coaching philosophies align with my own, and I am hoping I can use my experiences – both as a player and a coach – to help the players as much as I can.”

Maloney added: “Glenn will be a brilliant addition to our backroom team, and I am delighted to have him on board. He has had some excellent experiences as both a player and a coach, including coaching the Republic of Ireland national team.

“I am really looking forward to working with Glenn, and I’m positive his arrival will be beneficial for the players and the Club’s long-term plans.”