WEBSTER: I'VE MADE HUGE STEP UP FROM SPL

WIGAN ace Andy Webster admits playing in the English Premiership is a whole lot harder than SPL action with Hearts.

The Scotland defender has made an impressive start at his new club following his controversial summer switch from Tynecastle but is finding the pace tough. He said: "Things are going well for me, it makes my job of fitting in a bit easier when the team are playing well.

"The standard is higher than in the Scottish Premier League. I've played quite a lot of international football and it's not too dissimilar to that. It's tough going, and I think the technique and quality in the Premiership is better. You need to be on your game, concentrating every minute of every game."

Webster, 24, made history when he became the first player to exploit a rule which allowed him to quit Tynecastle with 12 months of his deal still to run.

Hearts have not yet received a compensation deal as FIFA have still to set a fee but Webster just wants to concentrate on playing after being frozen out at Hearts for refusing to sign a contract extension.

He added: "It has been a long and drawn-out saga. The rule was something my agent looked into and came up with, the circumstances I was in at the time dictated it.

"In an ideal world I'd have liked a more normal transfer. This has been a long time coming and it's not finished yet.

"But I have more important things to concentrate on, hopefully playing on a regular basis and helping Wigan to bigger and better things."

Taken from the Daily Record