Looking after magical McCarthy

TO watch Roberto Martinez, you certainly wouldn’t think he and his Wigan Athletic team are “fighting for our lives” — as he puts it himself.

He bounds into the cafe beside the club’s DW Stadium, all smiles, thumbs up and enthusiasm. Further illustrating that he’s a manager who approaches everything at a different angle to the norm, Martinez has come up with an unique incentive for Wigan’s relegation battle — a fight that was boosted by a vital 3-1 win at Blackpool on Saturday.

“I’ve promised the boys that if we get the points we need over the next three weeks, we’ll go over and watch one of the games between Barcelona and Real Madrid.”