Barnsley v Latics - tonight, Oakwell, 7.30pm kick off - Antonio Valencia raring to go for the new season
Latics flying Ecuadorian winger Antonio Valencia says he is determined to make a success of life in England and says he has come back from the Copa America with a hugely positive attitude.
He said: "Last season wasn't a bad one for me, although I did have a few niggling injuries and it took me a while to adjust to life over here. The language, the culture and of course the climate!
"But now I am totally settled and I feel really optimistic about the new season. Last yearI didn't have a full pre-season with the team and that makes such a massive difference as the Spanish season starts a lot later and it took me a while to get where I wanted to be physically.
Control - Antonio says he is settled and happy in England
"This season, it's different. I played in the Copa America, and after a short break, I'm back and really straining at the leash to do well. These pre-season games are fantastic preparation for us to build up fitness.
"Nobody at the club wants a repeat of last season, which was just too tense at the end. It was very exciting for the fans maybe, but I know they would much rather we're competing higher up the league and looking at the players the manager has brought in, I think we can be very competitive this season.
Dazzling skills - Antonio wants to shine in the Prem
"It has been good under the new boss, really good, and now I just want to show him and all the Wigan supporters what I am really made of. I know I can get better and I just wan t the chance to prove it now."
