Sky Bet Championship: New manager Malky Mackay retains backroom staff at Wigan

Malky Mackay has confirmed that three members of the backroom staff already in place at Wigan will retain their positions following his arrival.

Assistant manager Graham Barrow, first-team coach Eric Black and goalkeeping coach Mike Pollitt will work alongside Mackay, who succeeded Uwe Rosler on Wednesday.

"As far as backroom staff is concerned, Graham Barrow, Eric Black and Mike Pollitt all stay and are part of my staff," he said at his unveiling at the DW Stadium.

Amid all the controversy surrounding Mackay's appointment, with an FA investigation into his alleged homophobic, sexist and racist text messages still ongoing, the Scot will set about steadying the ship at a club currently residing in the Sky Bet Championship's bottom three.

The 42-year-old has extensive knowledge of this division from his time in charge of both Watford and Cardiff, who he won the title with in 2013.

"It's a league that can do that to you," Mackay said of Latics' current predicament.

"They're in the bottom three and that's where they are right now so it's something that just has to be faced up to.

"Wigan at one point played 60-odd games with the Europa League (last season) so that's not easy for anybody or any club to deal with in transition. So it's not been easy for the last two managers actually having to deal with that.

"It's where we're at. There's a big, experienced squad of players here and there will be a transition because there are players coming to the end of their contracts, but it's not something I've not faced before at a football club.

"Certainly I want to make sure this squad grows in terms of its league position and in terms of the strength of the football club going forward. First thing is to get out of the bottom three, after that it's gradual to get this football club back eventually to where we were in the last eight years."