Grant McCann says 'It could easily have been 10 at half-time' but he is not quitting

The Latics inflicted an 8-0 defeat on hapless Hull, with six of the goals coming between the first-half drinks break and half-time.

Afterwards, McCann admitted the score could easily have been 10-0, rather than seven, at the interval.

“We could easily have been 10 down, that's not an exaggeration,” said the coach, whose side conceded the opening goal after around 80 seconds.

“Even though we had a couple of half-chances ourselves, we scuffed them.

“But the start to the game from us was horrendous and that's been a regular occurrence from us in the last few weeks. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb and we just seemed to concede every time they went forward. That's what we've got to look at as a staff.

“We have to analyse it and see where we're going wrong.

“The first thing I'd like to do is apologise to the fans. That was absolutely nowhere near good enough from any of us today. It just felt like every time Wigan went forward in the first half they were going to score. They were excellent but we can't defend like that and expect to get anything from the game.”

But despite referring to the ease with which Wigan scored their goals, McCann refused to criticise his players' efforts, or to say he would be resigning, with the pressure on his position obvious as a side recently in the premier League faces relegation to League One.

“I don't think I'm going to blame a lack of effort,” he said. “It's easy to say that when you lose 8-0 but the boys have been fighting right up to this point and tonight we were just nowhere near it.

“They were first to everything, they got a lot of first contacts and every time they went forward they looked like they were going to score. That was the most disappointing things for us.

“We're stood on the sideline thinking, 'Is this ever going to stop?'

“All we can do now is look at it as a group of staff and players and the good thing is it's still in our hands. We've got two games left, starting with Luton at home on Saturday and we have to win – there's no ifs or buts any more, we have to win. That's what we'll look to do.

“I came on for West Ham against Blackburn when we lost 7-1 in a Premier League game but I've never experienced anything like that, not the way it was tonight.

“It was just nowhere near good enough from any of us, that's all you can say.”

Hull are in the final relegation place with two matches to play, and even if they are deducted 12 points for going into administration, their win means Wigan will still be above them in the table.

They now have a huge match against Luton Town, a point behind after Tuesday's result.

“We have to (lift them),” said McCann. “The players know now, it's black and white for everybody, we have to beat Luton on Saturday to give ourselves a real opportunity to stay in this division.

“It's the implications that come with it for everybody really, whether the motivation's financial or their futures or anyone else's. That's what you've got to be thinking about and the players are but tonight they never showed it. We were nowhere near, we were second-best to everything.

“In the second half I think we were a bit better, the subs made a real difference, (Ryan) Tafazoli, Batts (Dan Batty), (Kevin) Stewart and young Keano (Keane Lewis-Potter), but the game was way, way, way gone, it was more just a bit of reaction from us in the second half. The game was done in the first.

“It was a big game for both clubs but we didn't come to the party.

“We've got a chance in the next two games to get out of the bottom three and that's what we'll look to do.”

McCann could not defend himself, but he dodged questions about resigning.

“Obviously not.,” he said when asked if he could defend himself. “There's not much you can say when you lose 8-0.

“I don't think that (where he will resign) is a question I'll answer now. We've got two huge games coming up.”

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