Martinez salutes Kirkland character

22 October 2009 10:24
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has hailed Chris Kirkland's bravery as an inspiration for the rest of the Latics squad. Goalkeeper Kirkland dislocated a finger in the second half of the 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the DW Stadium on Sunday, yet still managed to see out the game. Kirkland is now rated as 50-50 for Saturday's Lancashire derby with Burnley at Turf Moor as he has yet to participate in any goalkeeper-specific training this week. Martinez, though, feels the 28-year-old's character is a shining example for any player to learn from. "He didn't do any damage by carrying on because he is experienced enough now that he knows his body, but it was a good sign that he was able to continue," said Martinez. "That kind of character is what gives you a lot of points at the end of the season. "We've got that throughout the squad, but it was a great example for everybody else. To see Chris react in that way, it tells you a lot about him at this stage of his career, and what a big asset he is for us. "At this stage we're still assessing Chris and hopefully he'll be able to join us, but we'll wait for the medical advice on that."

Source: Eurosport