Hagen: Hoping for Wigan debut

Related links

Teams

• Wigan Athletic

Players

• Erik Hagen

Also see

• Wigan fixtures
• Wigan stats
• Wigan forum

Norwegian international Erik Hagen says he is happy to wait for his chance at Wigan.

The defender moved to the JJB Stadium in January when he arrived from Russian outfit Zenit St Petersburg.

However, partly due to injuries and the fact Wigan have been performing well, Hagen has yet to make his Latics debut.

"I can't do much else than keep working hard on the training ground," he told Dagbladet.

"The team has played very well and it's not an easy job to play yourself into a team who is performing good.

"Of course it does something to your self-belief when you are brought in right before the transfer window closes and you don't even make the bench.

"He (manager Steve Bruce) says that he really can't change the team when they don't concede goals and I understand him well. I told him that I would have done the same thing."

Permanent deal

Hagen is only on loan at Wigan and he insists he wants to remain in Lancashire.

"I love it here already, except that I've only played three reserves games. It's a totally different culture compared to Russia on and off the pitch," he said.

"Everything is more simple here in England. We can take care of things ourselves and the club does a lot for us. The football is more back to basics as well."