Paper Talk: Lee signs up

Last updated : 06 January 2005 By Wigan Evening Post.
McCulloch's current deal was due to run out in the summer but Latics opened talks with him before Christmas to ward off interest from other clubs.

He has become the second player to sign a new deal after Ian Breckin agreed to a fresh two-year contract last month, and negotiations are thought to be underway with other members of the squad.

McCulloch said: "I have loved my time here and I didn't want to think about going elsewhere. I am enjoying my football and I'm glad I have got this new contract signed."

A number of contracts are up this summer, while Latics are keen to tie Nathan Ellington, Leighton Baines and Jimmy Bullard to longer deals – those three remain signed up until at least next season.

McCulloch, 26, has emerged as a key member of the team over the last couple of years since being switched to the left side of midfield.

He joined Latics from Scottish club Motherwell, along with Steve McMillan, almost four years ago.

Signed as a striker, McCulloch was moved to the wing by Paul Jewell at the start of the Second Division title-winning season and has proved a big success.

Jewell has occasionally switched him back up front, but all of his eight goals this season have come when he's played in the wide role.

The manager said: "Lee came to us a striker but at the moment he is more effective in the wide left position. He is not a jinky winger, we understand that, but he does a good job for the team in both boxes and is very important to us."

Several opposition managers have highlighted McCulloch as being a major threat and Stoke City boss Tony Pulis admitted making a tentative enquiry about him early last month.

His form this season earned him his first Scotland cap as a substitute in October's World Cup qualifier in Moldova – he'll go down in the history books as the last player to be capped by Berti Vogts before his sacking.

Meanwhile, Jewell has urged striker Jason Roberts to keep cool in future matches to avoid further trouble with referees.

The record signing got up a head of steam in the victory over Wolves on Tuesday after some close attention on the pitch from defender Joleon Lescott, and baiting off it by the visiting supporters.

He's just returned from a one-match suspension for five bookings – some of them for dissent – and Jewell wants to work that out of him.

"It's part of his game that he needs to curb," said Jewell.

"He has had too many bookings for dissent and is going to get wound up out there.

"But the best way to react to that is by playing well and scoring a goal. It's not easy to do, I know that because I wasn't the world's best at keeping calm as a player.

"But as you get older, hopefully you learn and mature, and realise it is a compliment when teams are trying to foul you because they see you as a threat."

* Latics hope that negotiations with Sweden international Andreas Johansson over his transfer to the JJB can start before the weekend.

A fee of around £500,000 has been agreed with Djurgardens and it's now a case of agreeing personal terms with the midfielder and his representative.

Djurgardens coach Kjell Jonevret admitted that it had always been an ambition of Johansson to try his luck outside Swedish football.

He said: "This is something Andreas has aimed at for a long time and he has thought much about it.

"There was a clause in his contract that he couldn't leave us on a free transfer, but we were almost certain that we would lose him."