Talal Al Hammad breaks silence on Wigan Athletic points deduction | OneFootball

Wigan Athletic were delivered the news that they were expecting on Monday afternoon as the EFL struck them with a three point deduction from their Championship tally for the 2022-23 season.

It came after the Latics ownership group Phoenix 2021 Limited failed to pay the club's players and staff on time for a fourth separate occasion since the summer of 2022, with a suspended deduction imposed in January after their offences in June, July and October.

Banking issues were cited for those particular misdeameanours, but their fourth late payment was put down to liquidity issues - staff and youth players have now been paid but after being offered a partial payment and deferral, senior Latics stars have turned down the offer from the Bahraini owners.

Shaun Maloney and his squad put the off-field issues to one side and managed to claim a creditable draw against Watford on Saturday, which left them five points adrift of safety in the Championship relegation battle.

However, that gap to Cardiff City in 21st position is now eight following the EFL imposing a deduction, and further woe could be set to come before the 2023-24 season begins as an independent commission will decide whether or not a further punishment points-wise will happen as a charge of misconduct on Wigan owner Abdulrahman Al-Jasmi hangs over his head.

Al Hammad, who is Al-Jasmi's son-in-law, has broken his silence on the goings on at the DW Stadium via a statement on Twitter, with further plans to update supporters on the club's future once the wages have been settled.

The Verdict

It's still not a good situation for anyone at the club, but at least Al Hammad has faced the music and is returning to Wigan to try and sort things out.

We have seen many absent owners in the past and present at clubs go completely silent and into hiding when problems arise, but you have to hope for Wigan's sake that things will be alright in the end.

Despite multiple late payments to players and staff, the wages have always been paid in the end, but obviously the more it happens, the more worrying it gets as livelihoods are at stake.

With a three-point deduction now triggered, survival in the Championship looks incredibly difficult now for the Latics, but it's not impossible but Al Hammad and the ownership group need to do something major to make amends with supporters.