Wigan Athletic midfielder Shaun Maloney has thanked former manager Roberto Martinez for the positive influence on his career.

The Scotland international joined the Latics in 2011 following an indifferent spell at Celtic.

Martinez recently left the club to take over at Everton, but Maloney is thankful for the Spaniard's impact.

"It was a very frustrating time for me," Maloney told the Daily Star. "I wasn't fit for a lot of the time and it would take me a long time to get over injuries.

"It's a horrible feeling sitting in the stands, but the move to Wigan turned my career around.

"It has been brilliant. I was always motivated to play for the manager. Roberto can be hard but he earns his players' respect because he is so passionate about the game."

Maloney recently revealed that he was unsure if he would be at Wigan next season.